The Scottish Maritime Museum is pleased to announce its upcoming exhibition All Mortal Greatness is but Disease opening to the public on Friday 18 November 2022.

The exhibition considers the history and impact of commercial whaling with a particular focus on Scotland’s participation in the industry. Through artefacts, photographs and artworks, the display unpacks the unsettling story of industrial whaling and its impact on ecosystems alongside the stories of the whalers who took part in the hunts.

Whaling has been documented as early as the Neolithic period but it wasn’t until the 19th century that whale populations began to decline globally. Modern hunting, aided by advanced weaponry and ships, decimated many of the world’s whale populations within a century. By the 1950s and 1960s, it wasn’t the public’s growing concern for whales that ended this industry, but the fact that it was no longer profitable. This exhibition examines Scotland’s participation in this industry, which today has been all but forgotten, as are the stories of the men for whom whaling provided an unrivalled opportunity for prosperity and adventure.

The exhibition’s associated programme will include a meet the artist event with Caroline Hack. All Mortal Greatness is but Disease runs 18 November 2022 – 19 February 2023.

CONTENT WARNING: A section of the this exhibition features graphic images that some viewers might find disturbing.

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Image: Pelorus Pisces / Navigator’s Museum by Will Maclean, 2004