Memories of the Greatest Generation on exhibit at Liberty Station

LIBERTY STATION – The war has come to Liberty Station.

Limited-edition, World War II-era photography is now on display at Arts District Liberty Station.

The “Memories of the Greatest Generation” exhibit from the Maritime Museum of San Diego features 17 limited-edition photographs by famed World War II-era photographer Edward Steichen and his colleagues.

“I’m thrilled to expand our long-standing partnership with the Maritime Museum of San Diego by establishing a satellite location in Arts District Liberty Station,” said Lisa Johnson, president and chief executive officer at Arts District Liberty Station. “We’re confident this expansion will be a valuable asset for both residents and visitors to our region.”

The presentation is free in satellite exhibit space at Quarters D, 2675 Rosecrans St., Suite 100, on select Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 “As someone who engages in each of these important anchoring organizations in this community, I am proud to support this initiative and am looking forward to seeing how this collaboration evolves,” said Ken Stipanov, Maritime Museum of San Diego board chair and a member of the Arts District Liberty Station board of directors who spearheaded the partnership. “This is just the first step in an alliance to grow and benefit the arts and culture sector of our region.”

The exhibit is part of the Maritime Museum’s mission to serve as the community memory of the seafaring experience by collecting, preserving, and presenting the rich maritime heritage and historic connections with the Pacific world.

Steichen and his team of photographers were commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1942 to document the war in the Pacific and show the American people the efforts being made by the US Navy – sailors and marines – in that theater. Steichen photographed the daily lives of military personnel, the ships on which they served, and the actions they participated in.

Steichen and his team took 15,000 photographs over four years, starting in 1942. In 1980, in honor of his birth, these photographs were allocated to several museums nationwide. The Maritime Museum received over 70 limited-edition prints, some of which are featured in this exhibit. 

Kevin Sheehan, Ph.D., Maritime Museum librarian and curator for the satellite exhibit, said the intent is to “rotate small exhibits through that space.” He noted that Steichen’s exhibit is special in that the Navy “gave him free rein to depict the war according to the standards of the time, recording visually what was happening, especially in the Pacific.”

Sheehan pointed out that the new collaborative WWII-photography exhibit also “speaks to the era in which Liberty Station was a vibrant part of Navy recruitment.” He added the current display of 17 photographs is “the most emblematic images from that period we have here at the Maritime Museum.”

The Arts District satellite exhibit space will be staffed by volunteers and opened most Saturdays, said Sheehan, adding the exhibit is “part of the Admiral’s project,” a plan in development to renovate a section of Liberty Station, including the old Admiral’s quarters, to produce “a series of experiences there.”

Of Steichen’s work now on exhibit, Sheehan noted: “He was very much interested in recording people’s emotions, moments in time. It’s a record of bravery, suffering, and also just an account of the ordinary people, men and women, who were caught up in that conflict. I called it Memories of the Greatest Generation because it not only represents moments in time, but memories now carried forward into our own time.”

The Maritime Museum is open daily at Star of India Wharf at 1492 N. Harbor Drive.

General admission includes freedom to explore a world-class collection of historic sailing ships, including steam-powered boats, and a submarine. Each offers entertaining and educational exhibits.

The Maritime Museum is ranked as one of the nation’s top attractions, offering self-guided tours, docent-guided group tours, tall ship charters and historic bay cruises, year-round public events, educational programs, and a distinctive venue for corporate and private events. For more information, call (619) 234-9153, ext. 101 or visit sdmaritime.org.