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A detailed scrimshaw carving of a turtle. The turtle is depicted with a textured shell, intricate body features, and a lifelike pose. The scrimshaw is crafted from a light-colored material, showcasing the fine craftsmanship and attention to detail. The turtle is displayed against a plain gray background.

Now Open!

Up From the Depths: Natural Selections from our Collections

The collections of the New Bedford Whaling Museum / Old Dartmouth Historical Society are an impressive array of fine art, ethnographic objects, whaling implements, nautical artifacts, textiles, household items, and detailed documents from around the world.

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A bust sculpture of Johnathan Bourne Jr. The bust depicts an older man with detailed facial features, including a beard and mustache, and a calm expression. The sculpture captures the texture of the man's hair and skin, and it is displayed against a plain background.

Now Open!

Complicated Legacies: Museum History, White Supremacy, and Sculpture

This exhibition asks, what do we do with a bust created by someone who held deeply problematic racist ideologies? Do an artist’s beliefs impact how we interpret a sculpture? Is a sculpture like this one defined by the politics of the maker, patron, or subject?

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A photograph of a highly saturated coral reef with schools of fish swimming in the foreground and background. There is text in the middle that reads "Big blue pictures."

3D Theater Experience

Big Blue Pictures, an immersive 3D theater experience at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, is the first and only 3D theater on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts.

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Free Bloomberg Connects Guide App

Take your visit to the next level with our Bloomberg Connects digital guide featuring audio tours, item descriptions, deeper insights, and more! Available in more than 30 languages, and features over 300 museums.

 

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Upcoming Programs

Community Open House

October 28, 2024

You are invited to a community open house to learn more about the Whaling Museum’s upcoming Cape Verdean Contemporary Project; two exhibitions opening in summer 2025 that explore the Cape Verdean American and Cape Verdean experience through the lens of contemporary art and community storytelling.

Join members of the curatorial team and the exhibition’s advisory board to learn about how the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s special exhibition The Wider World & Scrimshaw came together. Hear from scholars, artist and curators about their connections to the project, what they learned through this process, and where their work goes from here.

The lecture will focus on the descendants of Portuguese on the East Coast of Sri Lanka, called “Portuguese Burghers” in Sri Lanka, who have lived in mixed communities near forts at Batticaloa and Trincomalee since the early 1600s. We will hear field recordings of performances of music and folk verse in creole Portuguese with illustrations of the community.

Celebrate National Authors’ Day at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. A day packed full of literary delights, in appreciation of the authors that spent countless hours writing our favorite books!

Tickets

Admissions

Online ticketing is now our primary method of selling admission. Discounted admission tickets can only be purchased onsite.

Museum & 3D Movie Price
Adults $27
Seniors (65+) $25
Youth $17
Museum Members $4

 

Museum Only Price
Adults $23
Senior (65+) $21
Youth $13
Museum Members FREE

 

Become a Member

Members enjoy free admission year-round and many other benefits. Before you purchase your admission ticket, CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER!

Extend Your Admission

Bundle your visit to the New Bedford Whaling Museum with admission to either the Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum or the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center to save at both attractions. Buy or learn more at our Admission Desk.

Guides
Plan your visit using the Museum's Visitors Guide (also available in Chinese, French, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish).

Download the Bloomberg Connects app for our gallery guide including audio, images, video, and an interactive map.

Exhibitions

Museum Store

Online ticketing is now our primary method of selling admission.

Adventures at sea, science, history, art, cookbooks, kids' books, and more — the Museum store has something for all the book lovers on your list.

Choose from prints available at 1000 Museums, or request prints of artworks in our collection.

Shop all of our gifts. The Museum store has hundreds of items available, you're sure to find the perfect gift for that special someone on your list!