Press Releases

NEW BEDFORD WHALING MUSEUM PARTICIPATES IN SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE'S MUSEUM DAY 2009

Fifth Annual Museum Day Features
Free General Admission on September 26, 2009


NEW BEDFORD, MA (September 2009) - - On Saturday, September 26, 2009, the New Bedford Whaling Museum will participate in the fifth annual Museum Day, presented by Smithsonian magazine. At museums and cultural institutions nationwide, doors will open free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers and visitors to Smithsonian.com.

To gain free entry to the New Bedford Whaling Museum, visitors must present Smithsonian magazine's Museum Day Admission Card available by visiting www.smithsonian.com/museumday and downloading the Museum Day Admission Card. Each card provides museum access for two people, and one admission card is permitted per household. Listings and links to participating museums can also be found at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Last year, upwards of 200,000 people attended Museum Day, with all 50 states plus Puerto Rico represented by over 900 participating museums, including 84 Smithsonian affiliate museums. This year, the magazine expects to attract over 1,000 museums.

"The Whaling Museum is delighted to participate again this year in the Smithsonian magazine's Museum Day and celebrate the culture, learning and dissemination of knowledge that the magazine represents," said Whaling Museum President James Russell. "Offering free admission on Museum Day gives us the opportunity to welcome visitors who might otherwise be unable experience all the treasures that make us the preeminent whaling museum in the country."

Ever-changing exhibits, along with favorites like a full-scale model of a ship's forecastle, the half-scale model of the whaling bark Lagoda, and the rearticulated skeletons of a blue whale, sperm whale, humpback whale and right whale, keep visitors coming back to the Whaling Museum again and again. Current new exhibits include From Pursuit to Preservation: The History of Human Interaction with Whales, which guides visitors through the story of humankind's evolving relationship with whales, from the whale as monster and source of survival to contemporary methods of observation and study. Another major exhibition is Classic Whaling Prints, which highlights the benchmark masterpieces in the Whaling Museum's possession, from Dutch and German foundations in the 17th century; to French, British and American masterworks of the 19th century; to examples from Japan and the American 20th century.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world's most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales and whaling. The cornerstone of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located in the heart of the city's historic downtown at 18 Johnny Cake Hill and is open daily, year round. The public are invited to become part of the Whaling Museum online community at flickr.com, facebook.com, and blog at www.whalingmuseumblog.org. For a complete calendar of events, visit the Museum online at www.whalingmuseum.org

About Smithsonian Media
Founded in 1970 with the launch of Smithsonian magazine, Smithsonian Media-comprising Smithsonian magazine, Air & Space, goSmithsonian, Smithsonian Publishing Digital Network, Smithsonian Books and advertising for Smithsonian Channel-allows the intellectually curious to indulge and engage their passions for history, the arts, science, the natural world, culture and travel. Smithsonian Media's flagship publication, Smithsonian magazine, has a circulation of more than two million. This multimedia network is also affiliated with the world's most visited museum and research complexes at the Smithsonian Institution. For more information, visit www.smithsonian.com, www.airspacemag.com, and www.gosmithsonian.com.