A detailed sculpture resembling various marine life forms. The piece features elements that look like coral, seaweed, and other underwater plants, all intricately crafted and textured. The colors range from green and blue to orange and beige, creating a vibrant and realistic representation of oceanic flora and fauna.

Courtney Mattison, Hope Spots: Micronesian Islands II, 2015. Porcelain and stoneware, NBWM 2022.34

Admission: Slow Art Day is free with Museum admission.

Slow Art Day at the New Bedford Whaling Museum

Saturday, April 5, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Take a Pause. Look Closer. Discover More.

Did you know the average museum visitor spends only 21 seconds in front of a work of art? On Slow Art Day, we’re inviting you to break free from the rush and truly connect with art in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Join us at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Saturday, April 5, 2025, to celebrate Slow Art Day with an immersive exploration of our acclaimed exhibition, Lighting the Way: SouthCoast Women’s Lives, Labors, Loves. Equipped with a specially crafted Slow Art Day Guide, visitors will be encouraged to linger with selected works, notice the intricate details, and reflect on the powerful stories woven into the art and artifacts.

Program Highlights:

Explore Women’s Contributions Through Lighting the Way
Women have been vital to shaping the SouthCoast region since 1650, yet their stories often go untold. This special exhibition focuses on objects made by and for women, sharing their stories through textiles, portraits, manuscripts, and photographs. Highlights include contributions to abolition, suffrage, civil rights, and labor movements, as well as women’s civic leadership, art, and cultural innovations. Featuring diverse perspectives that span race, class, gender, and sexuality, Lighting the Way illuminates the profound impact women have had on the region’s history and the New Bedford Whaling Museum itself.
Interactive Slow Looking Activity
Use our guide to focus on a few carefully selected works in Lighting the Way. Reflect on how they connect to the lives, labors, and loves of SouthCoast women and discover the stories hidden in plain sight.
Community Story Corner (Ongoing)
Share your New Bedford story! Visitors are invited to write short reflections—past or present—on provided postcards, which will be displayed as part of the installation.

What is Slow Art Day?

Slow Art Day is a global movement dedicated to helping people discover the joy of looking at and loving art. Since its launch in 2010, it has inspired over 1,500 events across the globe—including in Antarctica! With its simple but profound mission, Slow Art Day challenges us to slow down, look closer, and truly see.

Admission:

Slow Art Day is free with Museum admission.

Discover the beauty of slowing down. Celebrate art like never before.

Learn more about Slow Art Day at www.slowartday.com.