Field Trips

Explore art, history, science, and culture at the Whaling Museum through specially designed field trip experiences for students of all ages.

MUSEUM LEARNING PROGRAMS

Request Your School Program

Field Trip Packet & Parking Info

Students can marvel at the whale skeletons, climb aboard the Lagoda whaling ship, and view the New Bedford harbor from the Observation Deck. Learn about whale adaptations, local history, immigration, literature, civics, and many other topics through themed tours and exhibit explorations. Extend your trip with additional learning activities like a squid dissection, 3-D movie, curator-led tour of a special exhibit, or visit to the Research Room.

Guided programs are designed to comply with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and Common Core standards. All programs are designed for students to have fun while learning at the Museum. See program descriptions and prices below.

Guided programs are offered for groups of 10-100 students per day (up to 4 classes). Groups of more than 100 students will be scheduled for multiple days. Groups with fewer than 10 students may still book a guided program but will be charged admission for a minimum of 10 students at the discounted group rate. Some extended learning programs have additional minimum and maximum requirements.

During guided tours, most classes will be split into two groups. We recommend one chaperone for every 10 students and offer free admission for chaperones at this ratio. All teachers and required school personnel receive free admission while supporting students on a field trip.

Subsidies may be available to help cover costs for student groups from Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Please Read: NEW School Group Entry Information for 2026 for teachers and bus drivers (coming soon)

Museum Tours

A Day at the Museum

Lower Elementary School (K-2)
Up to 100 students | 90 minutes
Offered Tuesday – Friday

In this introduction to museums, students explore exhibits and learn about whales, art, collections, and local history.

Program Details

Through hands-on activities designed especially for young learners, students discover the excitement and fun of visiting the Whaling Museum.

Learning standards will be met as students:

Actively explore whale biology and the local ecosystem by looking at skeletons and climbing in a model of a blue whale heart.
Imagine life on the Lagoda whaling ship to learn about the maritime history of the region.
Examine museum displays and sort a collection into categories.
Look carefully at art to make meaning and compare sources of information.

Adult and students in front of whale flukes.

Whales Then & Now

Elementary-Middle School (K-8)
Up to 100 students | 90 minutes
Offered Tuesday - Friday

Whales are marine mammals that are adapted to living in the ocean, an ecosystem that is shared with humans.

Program Details

Students will learn about attributes and adaptations of whales through hands-on activities, close looking at skeletons and historic objects, and opportunities to explore museum exhibits.

Learning standards will be met as students:

Compare structures of related species of mammals including tooted whales and baleen whales.
Examine adaptations that enable survival in a watery environment.
Learn about human impacts on the environment and whales.
Discuss various ways that students can help protect whales today.

Story of New Bedford

Elementary-High School (3-12)
Up to 100 students | 90 minutes
Offered Tuesday - Friday

New Bedford has a deep and rich history, with industries including whaling and textiles.

Program Details

Students explore how the environment and people shaped the history of New Bedford, the region, and the local maritime economy.

Learning standards will be met as students:

Learn about the region's coastal ecosystem and the impact of people on the environment.
Discover the natural resources available in the region and the importance of the harbor on the growth of local industries.
Learn about the lives of people from the 1600s-today, including Wampanoag leaders, European colonizers, diverse whaling crews, and immigrant textile workers.

Students and adults on deck of a wooden whaling ship model.

All About Whaling

Elementary-High School (3-12)
Up to 100 students | 90 minutes
Offered Tuesday - Friday

Whaling transformed New Bedford and connected New Bedford to the world.

Program Details

Students will learn details about the whaling industry and the products of whaling and spend time on the Lagoda whaling ship.

Learning standards will be met as students:

Understand New Bedford's important role in the whaling industry and how it became "The City that Lit the World."
Explore the short-term and long-term benefits and costs of the whaling industry.
Learn about the products of the whaling and the impact of the industry on whales.
Hear stories of diverse crews and the men, women, and children who sailed on whaling ships.

The World of Moby-Dick

High School-College
Up to 100 students | 90 minutes
Offered Tuesday - Friday

Herman Melville walked the streets of New Bedford before leaving on a whaling voyage in 1841 - as did Ishmael in the novel Moby-Dick.

Program Details

Bring the novel to life with a visit to the Whaling Museum!

Learning standards will be met as students:

Explore the half-scale Lagoda whaling ship and imagine life on the Pequod.
Learn details of the whaling industry to compare fact and fiction in Melville's narrative.
Understand the historical context of a nineteenth century foundational work of American literature.
Make connections to specific passages from the text through objects and images.

Consider booking a Research Room Visit to see primary sources related to Herman Melville, whalers, and whales.

Mannequins of clothing from the early 1800s.

Taking a STand

Middle-High School (5-12)
Up to 100 students | 90 minutes
Offered Tuesday - Friday

Explore stories of individuals and groups who have made a difference in their communities and the world.

Program Details

Students will visit multiple exhibits and engage with primary sources to learn about people who took a stand to improve conditions for themselves, others, and endangered animals.

Learning standards will be met as students:

Explore connections between events of the Revolutionary War era and today to consider the rights and responsibilities of individual citizens.
Examine petitions and other primary sources to learn about Captain Paul Cuffe and his advocacy for the rights of Black and Indigenous residents.
Discuss labor history to identify ways that collective action helped change laws at the local and national level.
Understand the role of individuals and environmental activists in changing public perception and policy through the Save the Whales movement.

Students listening to an adult giving a guided tour.

Highlights of the Museum

High School-College
Up to 100 students | 90 minutes
Offered Tuesday - Friday

The Whaling Museum ignites learning through explorations of art, history, science and culture!

Program Details

Take a guided tour of the Museum to see a variety of galleries and exhibits related to whales, climate change, local history, works of art, the whaling industry, and New Bedford today.

Potential galleries include:

Exploring Our Ecosystem: Climate Change, Whales, and Us
The City that Lit the World
Forging Independence - Building a Nation
Energy and Enterprise
A Voyage Around the World

Let us know if you are interested in a particular theme or collection of galleries for a guided tour.

Self-Guided Tour

Elementary-College
Up to 100 students | 60-90 minutes recommended
Available during all open hours

Self-guided tours allow students to explore the museum at their own pace while discovering the museum’s many stories and objects.

Program Details

Self-guided tours also allow educators to highlight themes or topics being explored in their classrooms in personalized ways. The Museum Learning team is happy to work with you and your group to design your self-guided experience.

For elementary, middle school, and summer camp groups, please plan to break into smaller chaperone groups of 10-12 students.

Self-Guided Questions Sample (can be adapted for group grade level)

Extended Learning Programs

Two students sitting in movie theater wearing 3D glasses.

3D Movie

All Ages
Up to 200 students | 30 minutes
Daily Showings at 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM

Program Details

Immersive your students in a 3D world at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Big Blue Pictures, an immersive 3D theater experience, is the first and only 3D theater on the SouthCoast of Massachusetts. Students can either join a public screening or choose a film from our 3D film library for a private screening on the hour.

$4 per person (including teachers and chaperones) for regularly scheduled movie

Special Request 3D Movie from Film Library:
$7 per person (15 student minimum)

Squid Dissection Lab

Upper Elementary-Middle School (3-8)
Up to 25 students per session | 45 minutes
Offered Monday-Friday

Program Details

Students discover the unusual adaptations of squid by investigating their external and internal anatomy. In this hands-on activity, students use dissecting tools to locate and examine specific features and body parts of squid. Students learn how squid function and survive, and how they play an important role in the food chain for whales and other aquatic animals.

$7 per student (15 student minimum)

Allergy Notice: The Squid Dissection program includes close interaction with squid, including, but not limited to: handling squid with gloves, interacting with squid fluids in a classroom setting, and being in a room where the smell of seafood is apparent. Squid are considered shellfish. Participants who have a shellfish allergy should be aware of this type of interaction. For questions about this lab and allergies, please call (508) 997-0046 x184

Image of New Bedford Hurricane Barrier with rock walls and grass between a large brick building and water.

STEM Design Challenge: Hold Back the Water

Elementary-High School
Up to 25 students per session | 45 minutes
Offered Monday-Friday

Program Details

Take part in a hands-on STEM Design Challenge to explore mitigation strategies to combat sea level rise. The New Bedford hurricane barrier, a 3.5 mile-long seawall, helps protect people and places from storm surge and extreme weather. But is a human-made rock barrier the best solution for rising sea levels related to climate change? Students will build and test solutions to protect coastal communities from rising sea levels, while considering outcomes of their solutions on people and coastal ecosystems.

$7 per student (15 student minimum)

Inflatable Whale

Elementary-Middle School
Up to 100 students | Scheduled in 60-minute increments
Offered Monday-Friday
Subject to room availability

Program Details

Lagoda Below Deck

Elementary-College
Up to 50 students per session | Scheduled in 30-minute increments
Subject to staff availability

Program Details

Explore the lower deck of the Lagoda whaling ship model and see the quarters of the captain and mates. Groups can schedule a special session to see an additional section of the ship that is usually closed to the public. Students rotate through in smaller groups to climb down steep steps to the small cabins of the half-scale ship model. This space is not accessible for some students with mobility needs.

$50 per class (50 student maximum)

Curator Visit

High School-College
Up to 30 students per session | 60 minutes
Offered Monday-Friday
Subject to staff availability

Program Details

Three students looking carefully at historic documents.

Research Room Visit

Middle School-College
Up to 20 students per session | Scheduled in 30 to 60-minute increments
Offered Monday-Friday
Subject to staff availability

Program Details

Visit the museum’s Research Room to explore primary sources sets related to a topic you are studying in class. Work with Museum Staff to design a program or select from a thematic set including:

Natural History
Women's History
Black History
Whaling History
Regional History
Immigration
Photography
Maps & Navigation
Melville & Moby-Dick
Global Maritime History

$7 per student (15 student minimum)

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

Elementary-College
Up to 40 students per session | Scheduled in 30 to 60-minute increments
Offered Wednesday-Saturday

Program Details

Request Your School Program

Scheduling a Visit

School programs must be scheduled in advance to receive the discounted rates. Bookings are processed in the order they are received. Please book early if you have limited availability, especially in spring months. We recommend scheduling at least two weeks in advance.

Museum tours are scheduled for 90 minutes, included 60 minutes of guided time (with a tour guide) and 30 minutes of directed exploration (in chaperone groups). Extended learning programs vary in length from 30 to 60 minutes. Organizers will receive a detailed schedule before the visit. We recommend planning to spend at least two hours at the Museum but can accommodate groups with tighter schedules.

Rates and Payment

Guided Education Programs
K-12 $10 per student
College group $15 per student
Teachers and Required School Personnel Free
Chaperones One free per 10 students/$12 additional chaperones

Self-Guided Education Programs
K-12 $9 per student
College group $18 per student
Teachers and Required School Personnel Free
Chaperones One free per 10 students/$12 additional chaperones

Lunch Room
On-site lunch fee $50 (Groups must bring own lunches)

Extended Learning Programs*

3D Movie tickets $4 per person per movie (including teachers and chaperones) for regularly scheduled movie
Special Request 3D Movie tickets $7 per person per movie (15 student minimum)
Squid Dissection Lab $7 per student (15 student minimum)
STEM Design Challenge $7 per student (15 student minimum)
Inflatable Whale $250 per group (100 student maximum)
Lagoda Below Deck $50 per group (50 student maximum)
Curator Visit $7 per student (15 student minimum)
Research Room Visit $7 per student (15 student minimum)

*Please note that extended learning programs can be scheduled to accompany a self-guided or guided program. These programs are subject to staff availability and may not be offered on all dates and times. Large group may need to be split into rotations based on available space. Groups with fewer than 15 students may still book a squid dissection lab, STEM design challenge, curator visit, or research room visit but will be charged for a minimum of 15 students.

Preview the information required on the School Program Request Form

Payment

Full payment in the form of cash, credit card, debit card, or check (made payable to Old Dartmouth Historical Society) is due the day of your program.
Credit card payments can be accepted online or by phone with prior notice.
Payment by purchase order or invoice must be arranged in advance.
Groups are required to pay in one lump sum to receive the group discount.
Please confirm the final count, including students and chaperones, one week in advance.
There are no refunds for decreased attendance on the day of the visit.

Subsidized Groups

Student groups from Massachusetts and Rhode Island may be eligible for subsidized admission and transportation. To find out if you qualify, please fill out the online reservation form and check the appropriate box for more details. Funds are limited.

Cancellations

If you need to cancel or reschedule a program, please contact the Museum Learning team promptly. Failure to cancel a program one week in advance may result in a cancellation fee.

QUESTIONS? CONTACT US

Museum Learning team at (508) 997-0046 x184 or learning@whalingmuseum.org for further information about school visits and available programs.

These programs are supported in part by grants from the Acushnet cultural council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Additional support provided by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Helen E. Ellis Trust, the New Bedford Day Nursery Fund, CHT Foundation, and Fall River Women's Union.