Wild Life Book Launch Aboard the Tall Ship Wavertree
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Join Atlas Obscura in celebration of the release of our newest book Wild Life: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Living Wonders, aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree at South Street Seaport Museum.
Discover the hidden wonders of the natural world as authors Cara Giaimo and Joshua Foer take us on a journey through the most extraordinary stories you've never heard of the world’s living wonders. From the bizarre to the beautiful, Wild Life: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Living Wonders is a celebration of the curious and the quirky in the natural world.
This special event will take place aboard the historic 1885 tall ship Wavertree at South Street Seaport Museum, providing a unique and immersive backdrop for an evening of discovery and wonder. We encourage guests to arrive early to explore this historic vessel, which is the last remaining iron-hulled three-masted full-rigged cargo ship in the world!
Agenda
- 5:00–6:00 PM Reception with performance by Saapato
- 6:00–7:30 PM Presentation & panel discussion
- 7:30–8:00 PM Author meet & greet, book signing
We are thrilled to feature a distinguished lineup of speakers, including:
- Cara Giaimo and Josh Foer, authors of Wild Life
- Zak Risinger, Director of Engagement and Public Programs at South Street Seaport Museum
- Kristi Collom, Research Associate at Gotham Whale
- Tod Winston, Urban Biodiversity Specialist at NYC Bird Alliance
- Agata Poniatowski, Public Outreach Program Manager at Billion Oyster Project
- Additionally, enjoy a captivating performance by Brendan Principato of his project Saapato, which explores the intersection of ecology and music in ecosystems around New York.
Don't miss this opportunity to delve into the wild and wonderful with Atlas Obscura. Whether you're a nature enthusiast, an avid reader, or simply curious about the world around you, this event promises to be an unforgettable adventure.
Aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree at South Street Seaport Museum
Pier 16 (Fulton and South Streets)
New York, NY 10038
About the South Street Seaport Museum and the 1885 Tall Ship Wavertree
The South Street Seaport Museum, located in the heart of the historic seaport district in New York City, preserves and interprets the history of New York as a great port city. Founded in 1967, the Museum houses an extensive collection of works of art and artifacts, a maritime reference library, exhibition galleries and education spaces, working 19th century print shops, and an active fleet of historic vessels that all work to tell the story of “Where New York Begins.”
Wavertree was built at Southampton, England, in 1885 and, after a 24-year sailing career and circumnavigating the globe at least three times, is now the last remaining iron-hulled three-masted full-rigged cargo ship. At the Seaport Museum, Wavertree is visited by guests of all ages from around the globe and serves as the centerpiece of the “Street of Ships” at the Museum. She was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1978 and symbolizes the profound influence of sailing ships, their intrepid sailors, and the bustling waterfront in shaping New York City into a modern metropolis. Learn more about the history of Wavertree at seaportmuseum.org/about-wavertree
Cara Giaimo - Author of Wild Life
Cara Giaimo lives in Somerville, MA, with her wife, Lilia, two cats, many plants, and uncountable neighborhood rats. A former staff writer at Atlas Obscura, Cara now covers our fellow species for the New York Times, Fabrikzeitung, Bloomberg Businessweek, and elsewhere. Her first book, Detector Dogs (with Christina Couch), was published by MIT Kids Press in 2022. She plays guitar in Sidebody.
Joshua Foer - Atlas Obscura’s co-founder and author of Wild Life
Joshua Foer is the cofounder of Atlas Obscura, coauthor of Atlas Obscura: Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders, and coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders. His writing has appeared in the New Yorker, National Geographic, Esquire, Slate, Outside, the New York Times, and other publications. His book, Moonwalking with Einstein, was an international bestseller published in thirty-seven languages.
Zak Risinger - Director of Engagement and Public Programs, South Street Seaport Museum
Zak Risinger (he/him/his) has served as the Director of Engagement and Public Programs at the South Street Seaport Museum since 2022. He has consulted museums throughout the United States and Canada on best practices to engage audiences with art and history, served on numerous cultural panels, and presented at the Council of American Maritime Museum's national conference. Previously he served as the New York Creative Manager and Curator of Special Events for Museum Hack where he worked extensively with the MET, American Museum of Natural History, and Philadelphia Museum of Art. Zak is also a certified yoga instructor who has taught classes all over the country including a monthly class aboard the Museum’s 1885 tall ship Wavertree
Saapato by Brendan Principato
Saapato is the music project of upstate NY based multi-instrumentalist Brendan Principato. His work focuses on the intersection of ecology and music, using a distinct blend of manipulated field recordings and lush electronic soundscapes to encourage listeners to reconsider their place within nature. Most recently he spent half of August 2023 in residence with the Alaska State Park Service recording bird migrations and the salmon run outside of Juneau. In the autumn of 2022, he was in residence with the National Park Service on Fire Island, NY documenting “shoulder season” in the rare and rapidly disappearing swale and dune habitats. His forthcoming record, On Fire Island was released via Sound as Language on May 3rd and is the result of his time spent in residence with the National Park Service.
Kristi Collom - Research Associate, Gotham Whale
Kristi Ashley Collom is a critter spy native to New York with a background in marine mammal science, wildlife conservation, data science, veterinary medicine, and bioacoustics. Her research focuses primarily on marine mammal ecology and passive acoustic monitoring collaborating with researchers at Wildlife Conservation Society and NOAA to better understand bottlenose dolphin distribution across Gotham city limits. She has led expeditions with National Geographic, trained sea lions at Central Park Zoo, and spearheaded educational courses with RISE Rockaway, American Museum of Natural History, and Atlas Obscura. She aspires to empower future critter spies and inspire all citizen scientists to immerse themselves in their own habitat ecology. If you’re local to New York, you can see first hand the marine mammals of this habitat aboard an expedition with Gotham Whale year round. She encourages you to never stop exploring!
Tod Winston - Urban Biodiversity Specialist, NYC Bird Alliance
Tod Winston (he/him/his) wears several hats at NYC Bird Alliance: As the organization's Urban Biodiversity Specialist, he conducts bird surveys at green spaces across the city, including Madison Square Park and the Javits Center green roof, and is also part of the Harbor Herons Nesting Survey team, having led the survey from 2013 to 2021. As a birding guide, Tod teaches the organization's biannual Beginning Birding course and leads bird outings throughout the year. Tod began working with NYC Bird Alliance in 2007 as a volunteer writer, and after serving a number of years as editor of the organization's Urban Audubon newsletter, continues to edit and design publications for the organization, including its recent bilingual birding guide coauthored with Adam Moreno, Las Aves de la Ciudad de Nueva York/The Birds of New York City. A lifelong birder, Tod is grateful to spend his time bringing new people to the joy of birds and aiding in their conservation.
Agata Poniatowski - Public Outreach Program Manager, Billion Oyster Project
Agata Poniatowski is the Public Outreach Program Manager at Billion Oyster Project, where she leads initiatives to learn and engage the public in restoration efforts in New York Harbor. With a B.S. in Sustainable Development and Natural Resource Management, Agata oversees the internship program, curates exhibits, and organizes public events, including the successful collaboration with the Sandy Ground Historical Society for City of Water Day. One of her notable achievements includes the creation of the New York Harbor Species Identification guide, funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which covers 67 commonly found sessile and mobile creatures in the harbor ecosystem. Passionate about integrating art into environmental education, she fosters creativity and innovation through her work. Outside of her role, Agata enjoys pottery, knitting, and outdoor activities. Dedicated to mentoring young professionals and promoting diversity in the field, Agata is committed to making a positive impact on her community and the environment.