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

New Bedford Whaling Museum

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United States
New Bedford, MA
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.

06/23/2026

It's time for our monthly author book talk! 📚️

This Thursday, join in to hear from Carol Gardner, author of "The Divided North: Black and White Families in the Age of Slavery." Her work explores what it meant to live in a free state during the age of slavery, with all the promise, disappointment, irony, and hope that the notion entailed.

Learn about two families from Portland, Maine, and how racial dynamics shaped identity and experience in the nineteenth-century.

Register now here: https://www.whalingmuseum.org/program/author-book-talk-carol-gardner-the-divided-north-black-and-white-families-in-the-age-of-slavery/

06/22/2026

What do you see? 🤔

Our special exhibit, "Proteanna: Susan Heideman," officially opened last month. These multi-media paintings are larger-than-life, and invite viewers to reflect on life itself.

Do these works invoke the shapes of life forms for you, or something else entirely? Let us know, and don't miss out on this amazing summer exhibition.

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day!

Today, we’re thinking of all the fathers and caregivers in our lives. Whether you are celebrating with a beach trip, barbeque, or a quiet night in, thank you for all you do!

The Museum is proud to share photographs of our local community through time--including several testaments to fatherhood over the course of generations.

Check them out below, and see more photos like these in special exhibit “Look Pleasant, Please”: Early Portrait Photography in New Bedford!

🖼️: “Azores.” Albumen print. 2004.25.4 DUP.

🖼️: Untitled. 2000.100.2711.

🖼️: Untitled. Photographic paper, silver gelatin print, cardboard. 2025.10.25.

🖼️: Untitled. Circa 1900. 2000.100.1838.102.b

06/20/2026

Emily Noyes Vanderpoel was an American painter known for her watercolor and oil works.

See one of her iconic watercolor works below—a rendition of Horseneck Beach—and think about whether the scenery remains the same today. How has the landscape changed?

Take in Vanderpoel’s landscape, and then enjoy the first day of summer with a trip to the beach! Happy Summer Solstice!

🖼️:Vanderpoel, Emily Noyes (1842-1939). “Horseneck Beach,” circa 1895. Watercolor on paper. 00.203.81.

06/19/2026

Happy Juneteenth!

On June 19, 1865, enslavement officially ended in the United States. This monumental day, now recognized as a federal holiday. finally arrived after centuries of advocacy and protest by abolitionists across the country.

New Bedford has a unique place in abolitionist history. Early opposition to slavery started with the Quakers in the 1820s, and continued to grow as whaling increased in the region.

One of the most well-known abolitionists, Frederick Douglass, moved to New Bedford in 1838. For one year, he lived with African-American couple Nathan and Polly Johnson, who sheltered self-emancipated individuals in their home as a part of the Underground Railroad.

Douglass continued his residence in New Bedford until 1841, and in his time here gave lectures, attended anti-slavery meetings, and joined several organizations.

The legacy of abolition in New Bedford lives on through this robust history. Happy Juneteenth!

06/18/2026

Now presenting: a new kind of vacation souvenir! ❤️

Our special exhibit "Sailor's Valentines: Maritime Art from the Heart," opens tomorrow! This exhibition explores the medium of shellwork mosaics, also known as sailor's valentines, created primarily from 1830-1890.

Despite their name, sailor’s valentines were not made by sailors at sea. Instead, they were produced for the tourist trade by Barbadian women from locally sourced shells. This practice continued to evolve through the 1900s, and eventually became a form of creative expression for American women as well.

Come check it out! These unique and intricate designs will be on view starting tomorrow.

This exhibition was organized, in part, by the Cahoon Museum of American Art, where it was curated by Leeann Ream.

06/16/2026

Don’t forget to book your tickets for our Sailors’ Series event tomorrow night! ⛵️

This special lecture and reception welcomes author Will Sofrin, as he discusses the history of the Coast Guard flagship Eagle.

Eagle, taken as a war prize in 1946 and commissioned into U.S. Coast Guard service, has served as a training vessel for generations of Coast Guard servicemembers.

Now, take in the history and tradition of Eagle--with a chance to engage with one of its leading historians!

Tickets are available here: https://www.whalingmuseum.org/program/sailing-through-history-the-remarkable-journey-of-uscgc-eagle/

🖼️: USCG, Untitled. Postcard. 2000.100.1145.

06/15/2026

We’re in Bruins country, but we’ll always have a soft spot for some whalers!

Last night's Stanley Cup winners, the Carolina Hurricanes, were once known as the Hartford Whalers—and, even before then, as the New England Whalers.

We appreciate the nod to our shared cultural heritage, and were even able to pull some merch out of our collections for the occasion 🤩

🖼️: Lapel Pin, ca. 1990. 2001.100.4129.

06/14/2026

Happy Flag Day!

We are proud to highlight a collection of American flags on our website as a component of “Forging Independence | Building a Nation.”

American flags in this group range from 13 to 50 stars; were used on ships, in private homes, and at war; and span almost every national flag change over more than two centuries.

Some exceptional examples from our collection include one made by Hannah (Smith) White for her daughter’s son-in-law, Benjamin Hillman of New Bedford. Hillman fought in the Civil War with Company H of the 38th Massachusetts Volunteers.

Other phenomenal examples include the last flag flown at the South Dartmouth Post Office in Russell’s Mills, the flag flown at the house of Henry Huddleston Rogers in Fairhaven, and a flag from the War of 1812.

What stories will you unfurl from this collection? Check it out, and let us know: https://newbedford.emuseum.com/collections/661/american-flags/objects

06/13/2026

Did you know that you can search through our whaling logbooks?

Whether you’re looking for a family member, researching a whaling expedition, or looking to admire some artistry, logbooks are an amazing source to utilize.

Set aside a few hours, choose a logbook, and dive in! You are certain to have an adventure. 🐳

The digitization of the New Bedford Whaling Museum Whaling Logbook and Journal Collection was supported in part through grants from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and the City of New Bedford Community Preservation Act.

Access our logbook collection here: https://archive.org/details/newbedfordwhalingmuseum

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

https://linktr.ee/WhalingMuseum

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