The Maria Mitchell Association is a private

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

on the island of

Nantucket Nantucket () is an island in the state of Massachusetts in the United States, about south of the Cape Cod peninsula. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck Island, Tuckernuck and Muskeget Island, Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and Co ...

off the coast of

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

. The association owns the Maria Mitchell Observatory, a second observatory (the Loines Observatory), a

Natural History Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

Museum, the Maria Mitchell Aquarium at Nantucket Harbor, a history museum that is the birthplace of Maria Mitchell, and a Science Library. Staff members of the Maria Mitchell Association conduct research into topics as varied as

astrophysics Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline, James Keeler, said, astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the ...

and the American burying beetle,"Saving the Beetles", ''Yesterday's Island'', June 18–24, 2009, found a
Yesterday's Island website
. Accessed September 2, 2009."American Burying Beetle Project," found a

. Accessed September 2, 2009.Invertebrates In Education and Conservation Conference, July 24, 2009, found a

. September 2, 2009."Acknowledgments: Many contributed long hours, tireless research, and continuous dedication. Our team includes ... Andrew Mckenna Foster biologist with the Maria Mitchell Association for his work and dedication to the recovery effort....", "American Burying Beetle: First Terrestrial Invertebrate on the Species Survival Plan," found a
Roger Williams park Zoo website
. Accessed September 2, 2009.Andrew Mckenna-Foster, William T. Maple, and Robert S. Kennedy, " American Burying Beetle (''Nicrophorus americanus'') survey and reintroduction on Nantucket 2005." found a
St. Louis Zoo
website. Accessed September 2, 2009. amongst other scientific topics. The properties offer a variety of science and history-related programming and are on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

, along with the rest of the island.

Components and buildings

The Maria Mitchell Association's buildings are located in various areas on the island including four that are adjacent to each other on the hill in Natucket town.Mitchell Association official website Facilities page
. Accessed September 3, 2009. These include the Historic Mitchell House located at 1 Vestal Street. It preserves the birthplace of Maria Mitchell, and contains many heirlooms of Maria Mitchell and her family. The Science Library located at 2 Vestal Street houses archives and special collections. The Natural Science Museum, at the corner of Milk and Vestal Streets, has several rooms of permanent and temporary exhibits, as well as a shop with books and gifts. The main Vestal Street Observatory, at 3 Vestal Street, includes the offices of the two working astronomers and has a few exhibits such as Maria Mitchell's famed

telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption, or Reflection (physics), reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally, it was an optical instrument using len ...

. The Loines Observatory at 59 Milk Street is used primarily for research and on clear nights offers viewings to the public. An aquarium and shop is located at 28 Washington Street, down the hill at Nantucket Harbor. Admission is charged for the public to visit each site, for programs, and for membership. A discounted special ticket is available during the summer for sale to the public to see the House, Museum, Vestal Observatory, and Aquarium for one price. Tours are offered every day during the summer at 11:00 a.m.

The Historic Mitchell House

The Historic Mitchell House preserves the birthplace of Maria Mitchell.Discover Nantucket website Mitchell House page
. Accessed September 3, 2009.
. Accessed September 3, 2009. It was built in 1790, and occupied by the Mitchell family from 1818, the year of Maria Mitchell's birth. The House contains many artifacts of Maria Mitchell and her family, including a tall-case clock and one of her telescopes. The research library includes Mitchell's papers, as well as other historical and scientific material. The house remains very much in its original condition with original decorative paint. Guided tours are provided to the public in-season and children's and adult history classes and historic preservation workshops are offered. The research library includes Mitchell's personal and work related papers, her personal library, the papers and libraries of her family, and the special collection library which includes rare books concerning astronomy, the natural sciences, and Nantucket, some dating back to the 1600s. The archives and special collections are open by appointment only for research purposes.

Natural Science Museum

The Natural Science Museum is across the street from Mitchell House. It showcases displays of animals such as snakes, frogs, and turtles. Furthermore, the museum features a gift shop and various displays related to natural science. The building containing the museum has three floors, of which only the first floor is accessible to the public.

MMA (Nantucket) Aquarium

''See main article: Maria Mitchell Aquarium'' The MMA Aquarium, also known as the Nantucket Aquarium, is on the site of the historic ticket office of the former Nantucket Railroad at 28 Washington Street.Mitchell Association official website Marine sciences page
. Accessed September 3, 2009.Discover Nantucket website MMA Aquarium page
. Accessed September 3, 2009. It is located at directly on the shoreline of the Nantucket Harbor, which empties out into the Nantucket Sound. Specimens are primarily drawn from the waters around Nantucket, and are released back to those waters at the end of each summer. Because the

Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the United States, then veers east near 36°N latitude (North Carolin ...

passes by the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

side of the island, some tropical fish are frequently on exhibit. The Aquarium offers programs, including a " feeding frenzy".

Loines and Vestal Streets Observatories

Loines Observatory was built in 1968 and 1998, the two domes of this facility house a refurbished antique 8-inch Clark telescope and a new 24-inch research telescope. It serves as both an active research observatory and venue for public astronomical programs. The Vestal Street Observatory has been the site of research, lectures, and other programs. since 1908. Maria Mitchell Association's observatories are open for regular public tours, programs, lectures, and also host to several special events throughout the year.

History

The Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native, astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell's international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first American Professor of

Astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...

at Vassar College. Mitchell died in 1889.Maria Mitchell Association website About page
. Accessed September 3, 2009.

Programs

Each summer, the MMA offers the Summer Discovery Classes Program for children of various ages, and during the school year to the Nantucket Public Schools.Maria Mitchell Association website Educational programs for children page
. Accessed September 3, 2009. The MMA also offers environmental education programs for families as well as astronomy and natural science programs for adults. The MMA also offers lesson plans, and programs to teachers in local school systems.

Major staff and research

The staff members of the association continue to conduct research into a wide variety of topics from galaxy formation and star clusters, to spiders,

molluscs Mollusca is a phylum of protostome, protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant taxon, extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum ...

, and the American burying beetle.Maria Mitchell Association Research collections
. Accessed March 8, 2012. They have mentored many aspiring scientists. Th
staff of the Maria Mitchell Association
currently includes:
Joanna Roche
Executive Director
Dr. Regina Jorgenson
Director of Astronomy * Laura Pless Freedman: Operations Manager * Jónelle Gurley: Director of Science and Programs and Interim Director of Education * Molly Hess Mosscrop: Marketing Director * Amy Young: Development and Events Manager
Jascin Leonardo Finger
Deputy Director and Curator of the Mitchell House, Archives and Special Collections * Katherine Robinson Grieder: Finance Director * Gary Walker: consultant * Ginger Andrews: Field Ornithologist * Dr. Valerie Hall: Research Associate * Andrew Mckenna-Foster: Adjunct Associate

References

External links

* {{authority control Historic preservation organizations in the United States History museums in Massachusetts Natural history museums in Massachusetts Astronomy organizations Museums in Nantucket, Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Nantucket, Massachusetts Aquaria in Massachusetts Historic house museums in Massachusetts Nature centers in Massachusetts