New Bedford Whaling Museum

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New Bedford Whaling Museum Anchored by the sea and its stories, the NBWM champions art, science, history, and culture. Wheelchair accessible.
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Discover the rich history, art, science, and culture of Southcoast Massachusetts, and New Bedford's ties to the rest of the world, told through the stories of its people. Surrounded by cobblestone streets once strolled by Frederick Douglass and Herman Melville, the Museum is conveniently located within the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Dive into whale biology, ecology and behavior, and marine mammal conservation. Marvel at massive whale skeletons and the world’s largest ship model, the Lagoda – a half-scale model of a 19th century whaling vessel. Learn how Yankee whalers sailed the seven seas and see how famous maritime artists portrayed their voyages. See a digital replica of America's longest painting in motion - the incredible “Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World.” The original 1848 painting is longer than the Empire State Building is tall! The Museum’s collections number in excess of 750,000 items, including the world’s largest collections of scrimshaw, whaling logbooks, and journals. After your visit, browse books on maritime, whaling, and local history, as well as unique gifts related to the collection at the Museum's gift shop.

On October 29, join author Janna Malamud Smith for a free virtual conversation about When the Island Had Fish, her explo...
10/22/2026

On October 29, join author Janna Malamud Smith for a free virtual conversation about When the Island Had Fish, her exploration of the remarkable fishing community of Vinalhaven, Maine.

Through one small island, Smith opens up much bigger questions about fishing, commerce, climate change, natural resources, community, and the complicated relationship between people and the environments that sustain them.

Thursday, October 29 | 12-1 PM
Free | Virtual | Registration required

Grab your lunch and join us online for a story that starts on a Maine island and stretches into questions facing coastal communities around the world.

whalingmuseum.org/program/author-book-talk-janna-malamud-smith-when-the-island-had-fish/

Art that refuses to stay in its lane 🎨The Proteanna: Susan Heideman Series blurs boundaries with stitched, painted, and ...
10/21/2026

Art that refuses to stay in its lane 🎨

The Proteanna: Susan Heideman Series blurs boundaries with stitched, painted, and collaged layers that transform into something entirely new, a unique take on ameba. Catch it before it’s gone!
Closes November 1.

10/20/2026

It’s a maritime unboxing!

Take a peek inside The Island Whale, a one-of-a-kind multi-set book — now on view in Boundless: The Book as Art — inspired by centuries-old logbooks, including those in our collection. Whaling Museum curator Ymelda Laxton narrates the unboxing, revealing a writing desk packed with maritime-inspired details.

What exactly is inside? Keep watching to find out!

Flowers come and go. Shell art lasts forever 🐚 ❤️.. Well, kind of.Since the exhibition Sailors’ Valentines: Maritime Art...
10/19/2026

Flowers come and go. Shell art lasts forever 🐚 ❤️
.. Well, kind of.

Since the exhibition Sailors’ Valentines: Maritime Art from the Heart closes November 8, these won’t be at NBWM for long. Created primarily between 1830 and 1890, these intricate works feature hearts, flowers, and nautical symbols like anchors and compass roses.

Catch these shell-studded love letters before they float away!

10/19/2026

Step into a world where words and artistry collide! 📚✨ Boundless: Book as Art opened its doors on Friday, and it’s a feast for the creative imagination. Join us to explore the infinite creativity that transforms books into stunning works of art. Every page tells a story—come experience all and then create yours!

10/18/2026

New Fall Weekend returns October 23–25 with three days of arts, culture, history, live music, local eats, and coastal charm across New Bedford and Fall River.⁠
⁠
🎉Start your weekend with us at FREE Community Day Friday, October 23, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Take advantage of free Museum admission, family activities, and world-class exhibitions in the heart of New Bedford!

Ready to dive back into Moby-Dick? Round two of the Moby-Dick Book Club around the corner, October 20! Join fellow reade...
10/17/2026

Ready to dive back into Moby-Dick? Round two of the Moby-Dick Book Club around the corner, October 20! Join fellow readers and leading Melville scholars for a virtual conversation about one of America’s most iconic novels. ⁠
⁠
All readers are welcome—and it’s the perfect warm-up for the 31st NBWM Moby-Dick Marathon on January 9, 2027!

www.whalingmuseum.org/program/moby-dick-book-club-2026/

Looking for a daytime adventure with a maritime twist? Drop by NBWM from 9 AM to 5 PM, grab one of our sailor helmets, a...
10/17/2026

Looking for a daytime adventure with a maritime twist? Drop by NBWM from 9 AM to 5 PM, grab one of our sailor helmets, and climb aboard the Lagoda! This "titanic-sized" whaleship model is the largest ship model in the world — and it’s ready for you (and your little sailor) to explore!

Plot twist: some of the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s treasures have pages.More than 20,000 books live in the Museum’s co...
10/16/2026

Plot twist: some of the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s treasures have pages.

More than 20,000 books live in the Museum’s collection, spanning nearly five centuries and dozens of languages. Think rare first editions and illustrated natural histories, but also scrolls, logbooks, scrapbooks, textile sample books, seaweed albums, journals, and artist books.

Starting today, October 16, Boundless: The Book as Art brings an extraordinary selection out of the collection and into the galleries, including works that have never before been on public view.

whalingmuseum.org/exhibition/boundless-the-book-as-art/

Address

18 Johnny Cake Hill
New Bedford, MA
02740

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15089970046

Website

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