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One of the world’s best known live readings of Herman Melville’s iconic American novel Moby-Dick takes place every January at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The Moby-Dick Marathon draws readers and enthusiasts from around the globe to the Museum’s campus and to the reading online.
Join us for a screening of the 86-minute-long film, followed by a facilitated discussion with Constance R. Perry and Dain Perry. In the feature documentary Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North (2008), Producer and Director Katrina Browne uncovers the story of her forefathers, the DeWolf family of Bristol, RI, who were the largest slave-trading family in US history.
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Thursday, February 9 and say “Forever Yours” with a color-your-own greeting card based on a Sailor’s Valentine.
Calling all families – Come and join fellow explorers as we tour the icy winter wonderland of the Arctic this February School Vacation at the New Bedford Whaling Museum!
During the vacation weekdays we will have a variety of Arctic activities from 9:30-11:30 each morning (Monday-Friday). Examples include crafts, take home activity sheets, a trivia game based on clues put up around the Jacobs Family Gallery (Our Whales Today Gallery)
Get up close with New Bedford Whaling Museum collections that picture or are made from polar bears. These include an adult polar bear skin rug, Native Alaskan cribbage boards and animal carvings, popular trade cards, patches, and advertisements, arctic prints, and photographs.
Navy Day, hosted with Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, offers a full schedule of fun and educational opportunities for the public to experience the Navy’s role in environmental preservation, marine mammal protection, and underwater research, as well as the Museum’s extensive historical collection.
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum and David Weeden, Deputy of the Tribal Historic Preservation Department and a Mashpee Wampanoag Councilman, as he discusses ties between the Wampanoag Tribe and the museum’s recent exhibition, Re/Framing the View: Nineteenth-Century American Landscapes.
Join us for a day-long symposium, where renowned and emerging scholars explore the global carving traditions from across the Pacific Rim that were influenced by, sat in conversation with, and had an influence on “Yankee” whaling scrimshaw.
We invite you to a special program offered in concert with our Common Ground exhibition, where we hear from storytellers and invite you to reflect on and share your own connections to the SouthCoast. The event begins with stories in the Cook Memorial Theater, followed by a cocktail reception with lite bites and access to the exhibition space.
Falacha is the captain of a fishing boat of Nazaré who lost part of his men in a shipwreck. Among them was the husband of Aunt Aurélia, who holds Falacha responsible for this tragedy.
Come for the listening hour to enjoy traditional music of the Cape Verde Islands (Morna) and of Portugal (Fado), then stay for the cocktail social and access to the entire museum afterhours – a Good Friday indeed!
Explore a local cranberry bog in Marion and take in the spectacular views of 23-acres of bogs surrounded by small ponds and upland forests.
In Porto Santo, an archipelago of Madeira island, the drought rages. Gonçalves, a local farmer, tries to overcome the situation with the help of Bastiana, his loved one.
Join us on April 16th for a special anniversary screening of James Cameron’s TITANIC with pre-show food and activities inspired by the film. Costumes Encouraged!
Catembe documents the seven days of a week in the daily life of Lourenço Marques.
Chief Curator Naomi Slipp will discuss how some women of the nineteenth-century carved out successful careers as professional artists painting landscapes and still lifes.
This “Spring Awakening walk” at Dunham’s Brook Conservation Area will highlight a range of diverse natural habitats.
In a fishing village, José and Maria, a deeply religious couple, married for a year, did not consummate their union, in compliance with a solemn vow of chastity taken when a violent storm sank José’s father boat, nevertheless he saved himself with a crushed leg.
The Portuguese & Lusophone-world Lecture Series presents: The Portuguese and Cod Fishing in the Northwest Atlantic, a Legendary Heritage with Álvaro Garrido.
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum High School Apprentices to celebrate their spring exhibition, Framing Our Heritage! Explore the exhibition, hear from Apprentice artists and curators, and enjoy light refreshments in the Harborview and San Francisco galleries.
Enjoy the museum afterhours, margaritas under the whale bones, traditional music of Mexico, and a participatory art project inspired by Mexico’s most iconic figures Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera.
Osprey Marsh is a 19.8-acre parcel of protected upland woods, wetlands and marshland offering spectacular water views of Planting Island Cove. The recently completed Osprey Marsh Boardwalk allows for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility.
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum for an interactive and fun animation workshop lead by artist and animator Eric of Lightbox Collaborative.
The Sailors’ Series is an annual program that presents a wide variety of experiences and adventures by individuals with lifelong commitments to sailing, boats, and the sea. The May 10th program will feature Will Sofrin, author of All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World.
Together we can make an impact! Join in the fun and repurpose single-use plastics by creating a plastic jellyfish to bring home or donate to the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s upcoming Community Blooms exhibition by artist Katy Rodden Walker.
Ambushed by a powerful French frigate, Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) and the crew of HMS Surprise embark on a high seas chase around the world to capture the enemy ship at any cost.
Audience members will participate in a dramatic “Meeting of the Body of the People”, then follow the fife and drum players to the Bourne Building gallery to experience a recreation of the “Destruction of the Tea”.
Join us in-person or on Zoom as we welcome Museum Members to the 120th Annual Members’ Meeting.
First Friday featuring internationally renowned djembefola Sidy Maiga and köra player Yacouba Diabaté. After the listening hour, experience the joy of learning some drum beats from the djembe master himself, alongside other curious learners on drums that he’ll provide.
We invite you to a special program offered in concert with our Common Ground exhibition, where we hear from storytellers and invite you to reflect on and share your own connections to the SouthCoast. The event begins with stories in the Cook Memorial Theater, followed by a cocktail reception with lite bites and access to the exhibition space.
Together we can make an impact! Join in the fun and repurpose single-use plastics by creating a plastic jellyfish to bring home or donate to the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s upcoming Community Blooms exhibition by artist Katy Rodden Walker.
Join us for our next Lyceum Series program, featuring keynote speaker GEORGE M. JOHNSON, an Award-Winning Black Non-Binary writer, author, and activist.
We invite you to a special program offered in concert with our Common Ground exhibition, where we hear from storytellers and invite you to reflect on and share your own connections to the SouthCoast. The event begins with stories in the Cook Memorial Theater, followed by a cocktail reception with lite bites and access to the exhibition space.
This multi-panel exhibit dives into the daily lives of these specially-adapted animals, with a focus on harbor and gray seals, the two most locally abundant species.
Join us for the next First Friday, on Friday, July 7, for an after-hours immersive evening of spoken word within our latest exhibitions “A singularly marine & fabulous produce: the Cultures of Seaweed” (Wattles Gallery) and “Now and Soon & Somehow Forever” (Center Street Gallery). Poetry in art and art in poetry!
Join the Museum as we engage hands-on-learning around seaweed and sea creatures in a fun and creative way. Families will be able to take home their own crafts!
Integrating marine science, animation and original music, The Underwater Carnival provides a fun, immersive experience for families to explore and compare whale species’ behaviors and characteristics.
Join us for The Adventures of Cray, story time with G Pa Rhymes on Thursday, July 13 at 4:00pm.
Get in touch with the marine environment at this workshop making Marine Botanical Seaweed Pressings! Sign up to learn about the history of seaweed pressings from the Victorian Era and other interesting facts about marine algae!
Under the Sea, the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s annual summer benefit, celebrates our ties to the sea, each other, and the coastal communities with whom we share this connection.
In this first fully painted feature film, a young man retraces the life and mysterious, tragic death of the world’s most famous artist, Vincent van Gogh. Meet local artist Kat Knutsen, one of the film’s 125 artists!
Admission to the New Bedford Whaling Museum on August 2, 2023 is free all day thanks to Highland Street Foundation and August Adventures! Marvel at five massive whale skeletons, explore the world’s largest ship model (Lagoda), and enjoy works by internationally known artists and regional talents.
Roundtable discussion with experts in modern seaweed applications – including sustainable aquaculture, renewable foodways, as a biofuel alternative, and a mode of carbon sequestration – moderated by Naomi Slipp, Chief Curator, NBWM. Light reception to follow.
Join us at the Whaling Museum for the first Friday in August, as we continue our music journey around the world, featuring Celtic music with Aoife Clancy and Eddie Dillion.
Together we can make an impact! Join in the fun and repurpose single-use plastics by creating a plastic jellyfish to bring home or donate to the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s upcoming Community Blooms exhibition by artist Katy Rodden Walker.
Roundtable discussion between artists Candice Smith Corby and William Pettit, with Naomi Slipp, Chief Curator, NBWM. Reception to follow.
Offered in partnership with Sippican Lands Trust Join Dr. Carolyn Tepolt for a guided exploration of the tidepools along Brainard Marsh in Marion, MA. Learn about the shoreline ecosystem and identify different types of seaweed. Great for families. Wear footwear that can get wet!
Join us for our September First Friday and enjoy the museum after-hours with renown violinist Mark Russell, who will be strolling through gallery spaces to enhance your audio visual experience from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Complimentary lite bites and a cash bar will be available.
The Sailors’ Series is an annual program that presents a wide variety of experiences and adventures by individuals with lifelong commitments to sailing, boats, and the sea.
Together we can make an impact! Join in the fun and repurpose single-use plastics by creating a plastic jellyfish to bring home or donate to the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s upcoming Community Blooms exhibition by artist Katy Rodden Walker.
Join us for a special evening – a combination of lecture and live music – featuring lecturer Manuel F. Costa, Jr., the Director of the Regional Museum of Pico, with his son Francisco Costa for the music portion of the evening.
The Whaling Museum is excited to bring the 26th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival to New Bedford again. Join more than 100,000 film lovers across 400 venues and six continents to simultaneously screen and vote on The Final Ten to select the Best Film and Best Actor awards.
Portuguese Cinema in relation to the Sea Movies, Conversations & Workshops Cinema Português de Relação com o Mar Filmes, Conversas e Oficinas
Roundtable discussion with experts in the culture and aesthetics of seaweed – including in painting, decorative arts, literature, and visual and material culture – moderated by Naomi Slipp, Chief Curator, NBWM. Light reception to follow.
Join us for October’s First Friday and enjoy the local sounds of DJ Andrew “Anj” Kepinski, who will be stationed upstairs amongst our main level galleries to enhance your experience until 8:00 PM. Complimentary lite bites and a cash bar will be available.
In collaboration with the New Bedford Whaling Museum, FABRIC Arts Festival presents WE SEA, an Azorean band from São Miguel who have gained recognition in the regional and national circuit in recent years.
In collaboration with the New Bedford Whaling Museum, FABRIC Arts Festival presents Mátria with Catarina Gonçalves. A sensorial journey to the womb of the São Miguel Island where Natália Correia, a Portuguese poet, writer, and congresswoman, was born exactly 100 years ago.
The Sailors’ Series is an annual program that presents a wide variety of experiences and adventures by individuals with lifelong commitments to sailing, boats, and the sea.
Join us at the Whaling Museum on Saturday, October 21 for hands on seaweed exploration with Paul Dobbins, Senior Director of Impact Investing and Ecosystems Services, Aquaculture at the WWF-US.
Roundtable discussion with artist and printmaker Daniel Ranalli, Katie Moore, Manager of the Marine Mammal Rescue and Research, IFAW, and Naomi Slipp, Chief Curator, NBWM. Reception to follow.
Join us on Thursday, November 2 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum for an enriching evening dedicated to Lusophone culture and heritage, featuring the popular Maria Lawton – Author, Host, and Producer of the award-winning PBS series Maria’s Portuguese Table.
Set your course for the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s newest exhibition – All Hands – this Veterans Day Weekend and learn about the important connections between the United States Navy and the American whaling fleet.
Ready to eat again? A Blue Whale would be – they can eat up to 16 tons of food a day! That amount of krill could fill an entire dump truck. Learn even more amazing facts about these incredible animals at the New Bedford Whaling Museum during Thanksgiving weekend.
Join informal conversations with experts, aficionados, librarians, archivists, curators, historic preservation specialists, historians, and collectors.
In 2022, the New Bedford Whaling Museum was awarded a major, competitive national grant through the “Save America’s Treasures” program to conserve one painting of our 22-panel panorama series: Charles Sidney Raleigh’s Panorama of a Whaling Voyage. Program attendees will be invited to view the newly conserved painting in person, seeing it as it would have looked in 1880.
In 2022, New Bedford Creative at the NBEDC oversaw the successful completion of the first-ever place-based pilot of Creating Connection in New Bedford, a national initiative by Arts Midwest to make creative expression a recognized, valued, and expected part of everyday life.
Get ready for the “family fun band” in the Jacob’s Family Gallery with interactive silly songs and dancing, complete with giant puppets!
One of the world’s best known live readings of Herman Melville’s iconic American novel Moby-Dick takes place every January at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The Moby-Dick Marathon draws readers and enthusiasts from around the globe to the Museum’s campus and to the reading online.
Kick off this year’s Moby-Dick Marathon with a delicious dinner in our Harbor View Gallery, followed by a captivating lecture, featuring master printer Jos Sances, and Melville Scholar Jeff Peterson, Ph.D.
Presented in collaboration with the South Coast LGBTQ+ Network, the New Bedford Whaling Museum will host a special screening of the recently released Netflix film Rustin, followed by a discussion with community leaders.
The New Bedford Light’s Fine Arts Club is a place to celebrate talented local artists; a marketplace where buyers, enthusiasts and artists meet.
INUNDATION DISTRICT is a feature-length film about the implications of one city’s decision to ignore the threats posed by climate change and spend billions of dollars on building a new waterfront district — on landfill, at sea level.
Join artist Roy Rossow for an evening of art, creativity, and observation. Explore Rossow’s exhibition “The Stars That Guide Us,” and participate in a painting workshop with the artist himself overlooking the New Bedford waterfront at sunset.
“A passionate and powerful blend of infectious Americana melodies and folky instrumentation, Matthews delivers her honest songwriting through a beautifully raw and unfiltered lens. Oozing soul, her voice bleeds with emotion and gratitude, while simple piano melodies and upbeat percussion fill you with appreciation and love for the people around us who fight for change.” — Ear Milk
AHA! We HeART NB at the New Bedford Whaling Museum with an immersive art and music experience, amid the Framing the Domestic Sea exhibition.
This Valentine’s Day, bring your valentine, galantine or palentine – as you wish – for a fun movie party, featuring themed drinks and food.
IN THE WHALE is an award-winning feature-length film about arguably the greatest fish story ever told, though this one is true. It’s the account of a man who survived to tell the tale of being swallowed by a whale, and what happened after he was spit out.
Let your creativity set sail as we celebrate a remarkable figure in American history! Join us during February School Vacation Week for a hands-on exploration of the remarkable life and legacy of Captain Paul Cuffe. Cuffe was a seafarer, entrepreneur, educator, and visionary who became one of the wealthiest men of color in the nation.
Fire up your winter season with internationally renowned djembefola Sidy Maiga and steel pannist Becky Bass. Between performances, experience the joy of learning some drum beats from the djembe master himself, alongside other curious learners.
Navy Day, hosted with Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, offers a full schedule of fun and educational opportunities for the public to experience the Navy’s role in environmental preservation, marine mammal protection, and underwater research, as well as the Museum’s extensive historical collection.
Virtual discussion focusing on the complex human relationships with seals over millennia and how that’s changed in a variety of ways over the past 4,000 years and continues to evolve as seals rebound in our region.
Did you know that a women scientist is behind the world’s most comprehensive blue whale database? Learn more about Dr. Diane Gendron’s research and blue whales in general by watching for FREE our Blue Whales: Return of the Giants 3D film before it leaves the New Bedford Whaling Museum on March 17th.
The Sailors’ Series is an annual program that presents a wide variety of experiences and adventures by individuals with lifelong commitments to sailing, boats, and the sea.
Musician Joaquin Santos and The Dope Lotus are known for their distinctive soulful vocals, tight funky grooves, and poetic authenticity to their musical story.
The New Bedford Whaling Museum welcomes UMass Dartmouth Biology seniors who’ll be presenting their capstone projects on the biggest emerging issues expected to impact marine and coastal biodiversity conservation in the near future.
Did you know that the average visitor only spends 21 seconds in front of a work of art? Let’s change that, together! Celebrate Slow Art Day at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Saturday, April 14, 2024 and explore our Framing the Domestic Sea: Photographs by Jeffery C. Becton exhibition.
Get ready to become a master architect and help us construct New Bedford’s harbor using only cardboard! From towering buildings to fascinating boats to sea creatures underwater, let your imagination and cardboard creations transform our Harbor View Gallery into a vibrant mini-version of the city we all know and love.
Opening Night of the inaugural New Bedford Film Festival. showcasing a short documentary and trailers for locally shot projects. Get a glimpse of the talent for this year’s festival as organizers present awards for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Wardrobe, Best Production Design, Best Original Score and Best Public Service Announcement.
Duncan Simpson, PhD presents a lecture on “Portuguese Society and Salazar’s Political Police (PIDE) Before and After the Revolution of 25 April 1974.” The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion and lite reception.
The Zunzún Trio has an exciting rapport, ranging from modern jazz to Afro- Caribbean rhythms. They will bring original pieces to music by Thelonious Monk and Bebo Valdés.
Join Marina Dawn Wells, the NBWM Photography Collection Curatorial Fellow, as they discuss how the theme of Reflections runs throughout their exhibition of the same name.
Against the backdrop of the Whaling Museum, the South Coast Children’s Chorus (SCCC) concert’s theme of the sea resonates deeply, reflecting the community’s maritime legacy and connection to the ocean.
Butler Flats comprises a five-member vocal harmony singing group that specializes in sea-chanteys and other genres of sea music.
Join us for our annual meeting to highlight the accomplishments of 2023, vote to approve our incoming slate of Trustees and officers and hear from our featured speaker.
The Moonbellies perform an entertaining mix of originals, Americana, Old-time, Quebecois, Irish and Cajun music.
A conversation with Ymelda Rivera Laxton and multi-disciplinary artist and curator Cora-Allan Lafaiki Twiss (Niuean/Maori) about a Niuean barkcloth in the NBWM collection and Twiss’ journey as a contemporary practitioner of Hiapo.
For AHA! PRIDE, the New Bedford Whaling Museum invites you to go on a scavenger hunt for rainbow whales. Start at the Museum and then venture out to discover the rainbow whales as well as all that Downtown New Bedford has to offer.
Join Chief Curator Naomi Slipp on a New Bedford Whaling Museum Members’ Exclusive Trip to Alaska. Enjoy unique insight and access to Alaskan Indigenous art, whaling history, and cultural traditions with stops in Juneau, Sitka, Anchorage and Utqiagvik (Barrow).
Candida Rose Baptista is a 2nd generation, Cape Verdean American, born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the cradle of Cape Verdean American history. She is a vocalist, entertainer, songwriter, educator, and author.
Come celebrate Independence Day with the New Bedford Whaling Museum, from our Harbor View Gallery! This 21+ afterhours night out, features access to all museum galleries, followed by a cocktail party with the best harbor view in the city!
Doors open at 5:30. PURCHASE TICKETS Moby Dick Movie Night Wednesday, July 10, 2024 Join us on Wednesday, July 10 at 6:00 PM in the Cook Memorial Theater for a screening of the 1956 version of Moby Dick. Starring Gregory Peck, Orson Welles and other 20 …
For AHA! Kids Rule, the New Bedford Whaling Museum invites you “Into the Wider World” for fun hands-on activities and experiences, a short animated film, and more!
The New Bedford Whaling Museum will be hosting our annual summer fundraiser on the evening of Saturday, July 13th. Mark your calendars to join us to celebrate the season and support Museum programming and educational initiatives.
ONE WITH THE WHALE is a thrilling yet heartwarming story of one family’s struggle to rebuild their shattered identities and find a way to live with Ancient Indigenous values in the fast-paced, cruel modern world.
Back by popular demand, Aoife Clancy and Eddie Dillion will return to the music with Celtic and Americana music.
Break up your week and get through hump day with our exciting Humpback Wednesday program at the New Bedford Whaling Museum! On these special days, we’re bringing out Salt, our impressive 40-foot inflatable Humpback whale, usually reserved for school groups, for all visitors to enjoy.
August 26, 2024 marks 100 years since the last square-rigged whaling ship, the Wanderer, set sail from the Port of New Bedford to go whaling, under US registry. In recognition of this historical occasion, we invite you to wander the New Bedford Whaling Museum and discover treasured artifacts, ephemera, and artworks inspired by the Wanderer in our collections.
Break up your week and get through hump day with our exciting Humpback Wednesday program at the New Bedford Whaling Museum! On these special days, we’re bringing out Salt, our impressive 40-foot inflatable Humpback whale, usually reserved for school groups, for all visitors to enjoy.
Sip, stroll, and sketch at the New Bedford Whaling Museum during our next First Friday. You are encouraged to sketch something tactile inspired the Wider World and Scrimshaw exhibitions, or other collections, or simply let your imagination run wild. Cash bar and lite bites available for this 21+ event.
“Stories Lead us Home” is a series of short films presented in conversation with the Wider World and Scrimshaw exhibition, on view at the Whaling Museum from June 14 to November 11, 2024.
Join us for an exciting Local History Guild conversation with New Bedford artist Carl Simmons and photography historian Jesse Dritz. Simmons will discuss how he composes New Bedford views, juxtaposing historic photographs by Lewis Hine with views from today.
You’re invited to the AHA! birthday bash! Expect music, art, community, and more as AHA! celebrates its 25th Anniversary.
Katherine Vaz will discuss her novel ABOVE THE SALT, a labor of love over fifteen years in the making, a fictional account drawing upon the true story of the Madeiran refugees who were adopted by Illinois in the era of the Civil War.
The Whaling Museum is excited to bring the 27th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival to New Bedford again. Join more than 100,000 film lovers across 400 venues and six continents to simultaneously screen and vote on The Final Ten to select the Best Film and Best Actor awards.
A series of short films in relation to the sea, curated by CineMar in Portugal. The series contains English subtitles and runs approximately two hours. Free admission!
Join us for a global celebration of play! Children, families, and visitors of all ages are invited to experience the joy and wonder of play through a variety of interactive and engaging exhibitions at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
The Sailors’ Series is an annual program that presents a wide variety of experiences and adventures by individuals with lifelong commitments to sailing, boats, and the sea. The Museum is proud to present lifelong sailor and author Lin Pardey on “Sailing through Life”.
Courtney M. Leonard (Shinnecock, b.1980) is a multi-media installation artist, ceramicist, and filmmaker, who has contributed to the Offshore Art movement. Leonard’s current work embodies the multiple definitions of “breach”, an exploration and documentation of historical ties to water, whale and material sustainability.
Join us at 4:00pm on Friday, October 4th for an exclusive daytime tour led by Naomi Slipp, Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator & Director of Museum Learning, as we celebrate the launch of The Wider World & Scrimshaw, the latest exhibition catalogue from the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum for the October AHA! Program, where we’re inviting fossil enthusiasts of all ages to share their most prized finds and the stories behind them.
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.
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!
Keep Talking (Niugaa Yugaa), directed by Karen Lynn Weinberg, follows four Alaska Native women fighting to save Kodiak Alutiiq, an endangered language now spoken by less than 40 remaining fluent Native Elders.
Learn about art, history, science, and culture with activities designed for homeschool families! General admission includes access to museum exhibits and activities like the Inflatable Whale, Lagoda Below Deck, and other guided stations around the museum.
Shop online Shop early online and then pick-up on AHA! Night Discover SouthCoast Artistry Thursday, November 14, 2024 | 4:00pm – 7:00pm Free Admission Join us for an evening of holiday inspiration and creativity! This AHA! Made in New Bedford Night, o …
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is hosting another edition of The New Bedford Light’s Fine Arts Club, with special guest artist Thomas Deininger.
A silent film screening accompanied by live music! “Down to the Sea in Ships” is a 1922 American romantic drama, directed by Elmer Clifton. In this silent film, whalers go harpooning, leaving a Quaker maiden behind in 19th-century New Bedford, MA. Musical score will be performed live by pianist Jennifer A. Maxwell.
Join us for a shell-ebration this Thanksgiving weekend! Learn about sea turtles through our our 3D movie and hands-on crafts.
The Spindle Rock River Rats’ repertoire is an eclectic blend of music genres, that includes bluegrass, gospel, sea shanties, old-time fiddle tunes, folk and blues.
Join Dr. Naomi Slipp, Dr. Rachel Stephens, and Dr. Renée Ater, for an important conversation about the power of sculpture in public spaces and institutions, the legacies of white supremacy and histories of enslavement, and the landscape of commemoration in the United States.
A stunning look at David Zapatka photography, documenting America’s historic lighthouses in a way seldom seen: in the dark of night.
This December School Vacation Week dive into a week of exploration and discovery across five exciting temporary exhibitions. Whether you’re exploring environmental activism, uncovering the history of local women, or delving into art and history, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Free family fun with interactive silly songs and dancing from 5:15pm to 7:15pm, with the Toe Jam Puppet Band in the Jacob’s Family Gallery .
A vibrant New Year’s Eve celebration filled with delectable desserts, signature cocktails, lively African drumming, and a spectacular fireworks display over the New Bedford harbor from our Harbor View Gallery terrace.
One of the world’s best known live readings of Herman Melville’s iconic American novel Moby-Dick takes place every January at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The Moby-Dick Marathon draws readers and enthusiasts from around the globe to the Museum’s campus and to viewing online.
The Melville Society and the New Bedford Whaling Museum proudly present Authors Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel, co-authors of Dayswork at the 2025 Annual Moby-Dick Marathon kick-off dinner.
Join us for an encore performance of this silent film screening accompanied by live music! “Down to the Sea in Ships” is a 1922 American romantic drama, directed by Elmer Clifton. In this silent film, whalers go harpooning, leaving a Quaker maiden behind in 19th-century New Bedford, MA. Musical score will be performed live by pianist Jennifer A. Maxwell.
Celebrate love, friendship, and everything in between with a fun and free Valentine’s program at the New Bedford Whaling Museum! Whether you’re sharing the day with a partner, your besties, or flying solo, we’ve got something for everyone to enjoy.
Set sail on an unforgettable adventure at the New Bedford Whaling Museum! Nautical Myths, Legends & Sea Creatures brings the magic of the sea to life with a week of interactive activities, storytelling, and hands-on fun for all ages.
We’re thrilled to present a special edition performance by Jason Smith’s band, The Hot Club Cheese Roll (HCCR) sextet. Get ready to dust off your dancing shoes for a toe-tapping, stylish evening of music that combines timeless jazz standards with an irresistible rhythm!
During Women’s History Month, this Local History Guild program will focus on the underexplored histories of women of the South Coast, specifically in New Bedford and Fairhaven. Three speakers will explore how women actively shaped and improved their communities during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Step back in time—and into the present—at this month’s AHA! Night as the Museum brings The New Whaler Bookshop to life in the Jacobs Family Gallery. Originally designed to travel, the bookshop will make a short journey from its current location in the Wattles Gallery, where it is featured as part of the Lighting the Way: SouthCoast Women’s Lives, Labors, Loves exhibition.
A special screening of Sweet Freedom, a compelling 28-minute historical drama set in 1839 New Bedford during the height of the Underground Railroad. The film follows Mary “Polly” Johnson, an Afro-Indigenous confectioner and station master, as she bravely protects those seeking freedom while facing the looming threat of slave hunters.
Join us for a special screening of Malassada Day followed by a panel discussion with Director Dante Bellini and special guests Maria Lawton and Michael Benevides. Part of the Portuguese Lusophone Lecture Series.
Navy Day offers a full schedule of fun and educational opportunities for the public to experience the Navy’s role in environmental preservation, marine mammal protection, and underwater research, as well as the Museum’s extensive historical collection.
