Doors open at: 3:00PM
Film Starts: 3:30PM
Film runs: 81min
$25 for General Public | $12.50 for Members
In the Whale
An Unbelievable True Story. An Extraordinary Survival.
Looking for something memorable to do with the family during holiday break? Dive into an incredible true story that proves sometimes reality is more astonishing than fiction!
This holiday week, trade the ordinary for the extraordinary with a special screening of In the Whale, a gripping documentary about a Cape Cod lobster diver who experienced the unthinkable — being swallowed by a humpback whale and living to tell the tale!
It's a story that made headlines around the world, sparked disbelief, and captured imaginations everywhere. Now, discover what really happened beneath the waves.
ABOUT THE FILM
In the shark-filled waters off Cape Cod, Michael Packard has long tempted fate. For several months a year, Packard and his longtime mate, Josiah Mayo, cast off nearly every morning around dawn and navigate through the half-light to their diving grounds off Provincetown, the idiosyncratic, isolated community where they grew up at the tip of the Cape. Packard buckles on his scuba tank and plunges into the cold waters to hunt on the seafloor.
As the region’s last-remaining commercial lobster diver, the aging father has had his share of harrowing experiences, which include close encounters with great whites, nearly drowning, and having to pull up the body of a fellow diver. He even survived a plane crash in the jungles of Costa Rica, where he ran a charter fishing business. But what happened to him on a routine dive during a clear June morning was something he never imagined possible, and many around the world refused to believe.
In an experience of biblical proportions, Packard was engulfed by a humpback whale, caught in the watery cavity of its massive mouth. After some 30 seconds of a pitch-black captivity, in which he expected to die, he was spit out, fins first, to the surface, where Mayo and another fisherman rescued him.
The publicity was similarly dizzying for the reclusive fisherman, whose survival story spread around the world in news dispatches. But what came after the limelight dimmed was even more significant for Packard.
Abel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who covers climate change for The Boston Globe. He is also a professor of the practice at Boston University. Abel’s work has won an Edward R. Murrow Award, the Ernie Pyle Award from the Scripps Howard Foundation, and the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Feature Reporting. His most recent film, “Entangled,” which was broadcast by PBS’s World Channel, was nominated for a 2022 Emmy, won a Jackson Wild award, known as the Oscars of nature films, and Best Feature Film at the International Wildlife Film Festival, among other awards. Abel previously co-directed and produced “Sacred Cod,” which was broadcast by the Discovery Channel. He also directed and produced two films about the Boston Marathon bombings, which were broadcast on BBC World News and Discovery Life. His other films include “Lobster War,” which won “Best New England Film'' at the Mystic Film Festival, and “Gladesmen: The Last of the Sawgrass Cowboys,” which won the Miami Film Festival’s Knight Made in Miami Award. Abel, who began learning to make films as a Nieman fellow at Harvard University, is INUNDATION DISTRICT’s producer, director, writer, and cinematographer.
Thursday, November 19
Doors at 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Beyond the Page: Exploring the Art of the Book
Thursday, November 19 | Doors at 5:30 PM | 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
What makes a book a work of art? Is it the stories it tells, the materials from which it is made, or the creativity that transforms its pages into something extraordinary?
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum for Beyond the Page: Exploring the Art of the Book, a special evening of conversation, creativity, and hands-on discovery inspired by the Museum's exhibition, Boundless: The Book as Art.
Bringing together historic treasures from the Museum's extensive collection with innovative works by contemporary artists, Boundless challenges conventional ideas of what a book can be. From intricately illustrated natural history volumes and maritime journals to sculptural artist books, handmade paper, and experimental book structures, the exhibition reveals how books have long served as vessels for artistic expression, cultural memory, and creative experimentation.
This special evening brings those ideas to life through the perspectives and practices of contemporary book artists. The program begins with an engaging artist roundtable exploring the intersection of art, storytelling, craftsmanship, and materiality. Participating artists will share insights into their creative processes, the traditions that inform their work, and the ways they push the boundaries of bookmaking.
The roundtable discussion will be facilitated by Ymelda Rivera Laxton, Curator of Contemporary Arts & Culture, with featured artists Tracey Cockrell, Adrian Tio, Andre Lee Bassuet, Cristina Hajosy, and Lara Henderson.
Following the conversation, attendees are invited to explore hands-on workshops and artist demonstrations in the Jacobs Family Gallery. Discover the artistry behind techniques such as paper marbling, printmaking, and other book arts, meet the makers, and experience firsthand how ordinary materials can become extraordinary works of art.
Guests will also have the opportunity to explore Boundless: The Book as Art, drawing connections between centuries-old bookmaking traditions and the imaginative approaches of artists working today.
Whether you're an artist, a book lover, a curious maker, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of handcrafted objects, this evening offers a welcoming opportunity to discover the book as more than something to read—but something to experience, create, and reimagine.
Evening schedule
5:30 PM – Doors open
6:00–7:00 PM – Artist roundtable discussion in the Cook Memorial Theater
7:00–8:30 PM – Hands-on workshops, artist demonstrations, and gallery exploration
Exhibition connection
Boundless: The Book as Art is on view October 16, 2026–February 15, 2027, in the Wattles Family Gallery. The exhibition draws from the Museum's collection of more than 20,000 books, juxtaposing rare historic volumes, illustrated publications, textile sample books, albums, and maritime records with contemporary artist books. Its central themes—materiality, structure, storytelling, and the artistry of bookmaking—provide the foundation for the evening's conversations and creative activities.
Sunday, November 1, 2026 | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
National Authors’ Day 2026
Sunday, November 1, 2026 | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Included with Museum admission | Free for Museum members
Celebrate National Authors’ Day at the New Bedford Whaling Museum!
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum and Write With Community for a special celebration of National Authors’ Day, honoring the writers, artists, and storytellers whose work inspires creativity, preserves cultural heritage, and brings stories to life.
Write With Community is a nonprofit literary organization serving writers across the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. writewithcommunity.org.
Observed annually on November 1, National Authors’ Day recognizes the power of the written word and the voices that shape our understanding of the world. This year's celebration takes on special meaning alongside the Museum's exhibition, Boundless: The Book as Art, on view in the Wattles Family Gallery.
Exploring the book as both a vessel for storytelling and a work of art, Boundless brings together rare and historic volumes from the Museum's collection with innovative works by contemporary artists. From intricate illustrations and traditional bookbinding to imaginative sculptural forms, the exhibition invites visitors to consider how words, images, materials, and design come together to communicate ideas and inspire new perspectives.
Building on these themes, National Authors’ Day offers opportunities to connect informally with local and regional writers, explore the creative process, and celebrate the many ways stories are imagined, written, illustrated, and shared.
Enjoy engaging conversations with authors, a hands-on writing workshop, book signings, and a special pop-up book sale featuring selections from the Museum Store.
Featured Authors
● Gail Braccidiferro MacDonald, Abolitionists of the Northeast: Black Leaders in the Antislavery Movement
● Elizabeth Sylvia, Scythe and None But Witches
● Melinda Green, Marjory O’Toole, and Linda Coombs, contributors to Reconnections (Sakonnet History Project, Little Compton Historical Society)
Schedule of Events
11:00 AM–12:00 PM | Authors’ Conversation
Wattles Family Gallery
Join five participating authors for an informal, interactive conversation exploring writing, storytelling, creativity, and the inspiration behind their work. Set within Boundless: The Book as Art, this gathering offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the relationship between the written word and the physical book, surrounded by works that challenge traditional ideas of bookmaking.
Rather than a traditional panel discussion, this welcoming conversation encourages questions, dialogue, and meaningful connections between authors and attendees.
12:00–1:00 PM | Lunch Break
Participants are encouraged to explore nearby downtown New Bedford restaurants and cafés during the break. Please note that food and beverages are not permitted inside the Museum galleries.
1:00–2:00 PM | New Bedford Place-Based Experiential Workshop
Media Lab
Stories rooted in place. Writing rooted in community.
Presented by Write With Community, this hands-on workshop invites participants to write, explore, and connect through guided prompts inspired by New Bedford and the South Coast. Drawing on the spirit of WWC’s place-based anthologies Waterscapes and The Landscape About Us, participants can move between short, self-paced writing activities.
Writers of all experience levels are welcome.
2:00-3:00PM | Meet the Authors & Book Signings
Jacobs Family Gallery
Meet participating authors, learn about their work, and have books signed. These informal encounters offer a chance to connect with the writers and storytellers who bring history, culture, and imagination to life.
Pop-Up Museum Book Sale
Museum Store & Jacobs Family Gallery | Throughout the day
Browse a specially curated selection of titles from the Museum Store, including maritime history, whaling adventures, regional and coastal culture, and illustrated books for children and adults.
Complementing the themes of Boundless, the pop-up sale celebrates books as sources of knowledge, creativity, and artistic expression.
Explore the Exhibition: Boundless: The Book as Art
Wattles Family Gallery | On view October 16, 2026–February 15, 2027
While visiting, discover Boundless: The Book as Art, an exhibition that reimagines what a book can be.
Featuring historic treasures from the Museum's extensive library alongside contemporary artist books, the exhibition explores nearly 500 years of bookmaking, highlighting the artistry of printing, typography, illustration, papermaking, and bookbinding. Visitors will encounter everything from rare natural history publications and illustrated maritime works to inventive contemporary creations that transform books into sculptural and interactive objects.
Together, the exhibition and National Authors’ Day programming celebrate the enduring power of books—not only for the stories they tell, but also for the artistry, imagination, and craftsmanship that bring them to life.
Admission
All National Authors’ Day activities are included with regular Museum admission and are free for Museum members.
Whether you're an avid reader, an aspiring writer, an art enthusiast, or simply curious about the creative process, join us for a day celebrating storytelling, community, and the boundless possibilities of the written word.
Friday, October 23 - Sunday, October 25, 2026
New Fall Weekend
October 23-25, 2026 | Downtown New Bedford & Fall River
Discover the best of the South Coast during the 2nd Annual New-Fall Weekend, a three-day celebration of culture, creativity, history, and community across New Bedford and Fall River. From October 23-25, visitors can explore museums, live music, local dining, waterfront attractions, shopping, and family-friendly activities that showcase the unique character of both cities. Whether you're planning a day trip or a weekend getaway, New-Fall Weekend offers the perfect opportunity to experience the rich heritage, vibrant arts scene, and coastal charm that make the South Coast one of New England's most distinctive destinations. With convenient rail service connecting Boston to both cities, it's easier than ever to leave the city behind and spend a fall weekend exploring the South Coast.
Free Community Day
Friday, October 23 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Kick off New-Fall Weekend with a Free Community Day at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, generously sponsored by Museum Trustee Doug Crocker and Cindy Crocker. Enjoy free admission to the Museum and explore world-class exhibitions, family activities, and the stories that connect New Bedford to the wider world.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Museum's new Welcome & Exhibition Center, opening in summer 2027, and view construction progress from the Museum's second-floor glass overlook.
What's Happening
October 23, from 6pm to 9pm.
Come aboard for Gremlin's Ghoul-A-Palooza, a family-friendly evening filled with Halloween fun, entertainment, and plenty of Gremlin mischief. Enjoy trick-or-treating, games, crafts, snacks, dancing, and more throughout the Cove.
October 25, from 11am to 3pm.
Joint NoMa - North Main Historic Downtown District for a display of art, crafts, and street food with live music, and specials from restaurant partners on Purchase St!
Visit our partners for more events:
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | Doors Open: 5:30 | Program Starts: 6:00
Sold Out!
Please note, the ticker-buyer list will be shared with our program partners; the agency representing Cole Brauer and Hummingbird Books.
Sailors' Series: First Light: Sailing Solo But Not Alone
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | Doors Open: 5:30 PM | Program Starts: 6:00 PM
The New Bedford Whaling Museum presented in partnership with The South Coast Literary Series is thrilled to welcome record-breaking American professional sailor and author Cole Brauer to celebrate the launch of her book “First Light: Sailing Solo But Not Alone,” a thrilling memoir from the first American woman to race a sailboat solo nonstop around the world.
Brauer will be in conversation with Wendy Dodson, Owner of Hummingbird Books and co-founder of The South Coast Literary Series. In 2024, Cole Brauer became the first American woman to race solo around the world, in a forty-foot sailboat named First Light. For 130 days, she navigated mechanical breakdowns, debilitating food poisoning, and the Southern Ocean’s extreme cold. Yet, amid the isolation, she found breathtaking sunrises, impromptu dance parties, and a life-changing sense of peace. First Light recounts the intimate details of this historic circumnavigation, but it isn’t the typical story of conquering the elements. Instead, it is a memoir of a woman who moved into the most remote environment on Earth and made herself a home. For years, Brauer navigated the rigid hierarchies of a traditionalist sport, facing a relentless tide of skepticism from a world that often tried to ground her before she even left the dock. Out at sea, she didn’t just race 27,000 miles; she proved her critics wrong, reframing one of the world’s most grueling solo races as an act of joyful resistance. First Light is a reckoning with what it means to belong—in a male-dominated field, in a high-speed world, and within yourself. Unfiltered, exhilarating, and deeply personal, it is a testament to the resilience required to stay true to yourself when the world wants you to stay small. Brauer invites us all to find presence in a noisy world, believe in the impossible, and see the horizon not as a boundary but as a hearth.
A cocktail reception in the Jacobs Family Gallery will follow the program in the Cook Memorial Theater, where Cole will be available for book signing. Books can be purchased in advance through Hummingbird Books.
ABOUT COLE BRAUER
Cole Brauer is a record-breaking American professional sailor who finished second in the grueling 2023–2024 solo race around the world. Brauer and her work have been featured in The New York Times and on Today and CNN. A University of Hawai‘i graduate, she is a sought-after speaker for companies and organizations ranging from PJT to Kaiser Permanente, known for her candid storytelling and a philosophy of unvarnished grit. When she isn’t sharing her story on land, she is back on the water as a co-skipper for an IMOCA 60 team.
The Sailors’ Series is an annual, legacy lecture series of the New Bedford Whaling Museum that presents a wide variety of experiences and adventures by individuals with lifelong commitments to sailing, boats, and the sea.
2027 Sailor Series' is Sponsored by
Supported by Ruth and Hope Atkinson and The Samuel D. Rusitzky Lecture Fund
Fabric Arts Festival Opening Night
A three-part experience of food, film, and music.
Thursday, October 8 | 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Presented in collaboration with the Fabric Arts Festival and the New Bedford Whaling Museum's Portuguese and Lusophone-World Lecture Series, this program brings together three distinct experiences of food, film, and music.
Tickets are $25 for public or $12.50 for Museum Members and include access to all three program parts.
6:00 PM
FOOD (Part 1)
Com Amor (With Love)
with Linsey Wallace
Harbor View Gallery & Observation Deck
Through performance, installation, video, and food, Linsey Wallace approaches the Azores as a place inherited from a distance. Although she has never visited the islands, they have been present through family stories, traditions, recipes, and images — fragments through which a relationship to place is carried across generations.
At the center of the work is a live cooking performance around Chicharros Assados na Certã — horse mackerel coated in corn flour and cooked on a traditional cast-iron pan. Preparing, serving, and eating together become a way of bringing personal and family histories into a collective experience. Moving between the sea, the kitchen, and the family table, the wider installation also incorporates materials and images connected to Wallace’s family and the islands, exploring how a place can be remembered, imagined, and continually remade from afar.
7:30 PM
FILM PREMIERE (Part 2)
A Beat of Saudades
with Diogo Lima & Henrique Ferreira
Cook Memorial Theater
Between factory shifts and weekend dances, a little-known world of pop, rock and disco took shape within New England’s bustling Portuguese and Azorean communities. A BEAT OF SAUDADE revisits some of the musicians and audiences who brought that scene to life in the 1970s and 1980s. Drawing on Henrique Ferreira’s research, Azorean director Diogo Lima brings their records and memories into the present, moving between New England and the Azores. Dreams of stardom meet everyday pleasures, compromises and lingering doubts: after building a life across the ocean, where do you belong? Commissioned by FABRIC and developed between 2024 and 2026, the film culminates a three-year project exploring music, migration, and memory.
8:30 PM
CONCERT (Part 3)
Filipe Furtado
with Filipe Furtado Trio
Cook Memorial Theater
Azorean pianist, composer, and songwriter Filipe Furtado closes FABRIC’s opening night with a performance by his trio, a group that uses song as a starting point to explore improvisation, jazz influences, and contemporary sound practices. Rooted in Coimbra, the trio serves as a space for collective creation, where compositions emerge through dialogue between piano, saxophone, and drums and are further expanded in live performance through electronics and vocals. The project is based on Furtado’s original repertoire — shaped by his trajectory as an Azorean musician and composer living in Coimbra since 2010 — and developed in collaboration with Paulo Silva (drums) and Filipe Fidalgo (saxophone). In 2025, the trio released the album Como Se Matam Primaveras, marking a key moment in their ongoing exploration of form, improvisation, and contemporary song.
Tickets are $25 for public or $12.50 for Museum Members and include access to all three program parts.
Thursday, November 5 | Day Trip | $ 95.00 per person
Thank you for your interest in our Members’ Day Trip. This event is currently sold out.
If you have any questions, please contact the Membership Department: membership@whalingmuseum.org or EXT. 153.
FAQs
- Can I bring my friend who is not a member? Yes! This trip is open to Museum Members and their friends and family. An active Museum membership is required to reserve tickets. If your friend is not yet a member, they are welcome to join here
- What is included in the trip price? The price includes transportation via private coach to and from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, as well as admission to the Museum, and a private guided tour.
- Are the tours accessible for people with mobility issues? Yes, all exhibition spaces may be accessed via an elevator. The historic galleries remain as Isabella Stewart Gardner herself arranged them, as stipulated by her will. Because of this, they have various types of flooring, rooms with narrow doorways, and low light levels to preserve the exquisite works of art on display.
- Are there recommended places to eat nearby or inside the museum? The Museum has a café, for more information visit their website. Most restaurants are more than a 15-minute walk from the Museum but are just a short ride away by public transit or Uber. Some suggestions include:
· Longwood Galleria Food Court: https://longwoodgalleria.com
· Laughing Monk Café: https://laughingmonkcafe.com/menu?location=mission-hill
· The Mission Bar & Grill: https://www.themissionbar.com
· Lily’s Gourmet Pasta: https://lillysgourmetpasta.com/ - Can I receive a refund if I need to cancel? You may receive a full refund if you cancel by October 20th at 11:59 PM. Cancellations received after October 20th at 11:59 PM are not eligible for a refund.
Members’ Day Trip: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Thursday, November 5 | Day Trip | $ 95.00 per person
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum for a day trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA. Enjoy a private tour of the Museum, plus free time to explore the museum or surrounding area and have lunch in the city. Travel with Naomi Slipp, NBWM Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator and connect with fellow Museum members on this special outing.
About the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was founded by Isabella Stewart Gardner, a pioneering art collector and cultural patron whose travels through Europe and Asia sparked a lifelong passion for art and culture. Working with her art advisor Bernard Berenson, Gardner built an extraordinary collection spanning Italian Renaissance masterpieces, French paintings, textiles, Chinese sculpture, rare books, and more. Following her husband Jack’s death in 1898, Gardner brought their shared dream of creating a museum to life in 1903 under the name Fenway Court. Designed as an immersive experience, the Museum became a vibrant center for art, music, and creative exchange. When Isabella passed in 1924, she left clear instructions in her will to make no permanent changes to the Museum displays. It also clearly stated that the Museum should remain open for the “enjoyment and education of the public forever.” Today, the Gardner Museum honors her vision by connecting its historic and contemporary collections with the present and fostering creativity, community, and engagement with the arts.
See the Gardner’s website for more information about the unique collection
Itinerary
9:00 am: Meet at the NBWM - 67 Union Street
9:15 am: Depart via private coach
11:00 am*: Arrive at Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
· Guided Tour of the Isabella Stewart Gardner’s extraordinary collection
· Self-Guided Museum exploration
· Lunch and Free time
3:00 pm: Depart Boston
5:30 pm*: Arrive back in New Bedford
*time subject to change based on traffic patterns
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 3:00–5:00 PM
Tickets: $12.50 for Museum Members | $25 for Public
Meet Award-Winning Spanish Author & Illustrator Manuel Marsol
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 | 3:00–5:00 PM
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is delighted to welcome internationally acclaimed Spanish author and illustrator Manuel Marsol for a special afternoon of storytelling, art, and conversation inspired by Herman Melville's timeless classic, Moby-Dick.
Marsol's award-winning picture book, Ahab and the White Whale, reimagines Captain Ahab for a new generation. Through stunning illustrations and gentle humor, this beautifully crafted story transforms the legendary whaling captain into a determined yet lovable dreamer whose relentless pursuit of the elusive white whale becomes a poignant reminder not to let our ambitions keep us from appreciating the wonders that surround us.
During this engaging family-friendly program, Marsol will discuss his creative process, the inspiration behind Ahab and the White Whale, and how one of America's greatest literary works continues to inspire artists around the world. Guests will enjoy a reading, conversation, audience Q&A, and an opportunity to meet the author during a book signing following the program.
Born and based in Madrid, Spain, Manuel Marsol is an internationally recognized illustrator and children's book author. His Ahab and the White Whale received the prestigious International Edelvives Illustrated Album Award and has earned acclaim for its imaginative storytelling and extraordinary artwork.
It is perfect for families, educators, young readers, and anyone who appreciates literature, illustration, and the power of storytelling to connect cultures.
Tickets: $12.50 for Museum Members | $25 for the General Public
Books will be available for purchase and signing following the program.
Manuel Marsol’s visit has been made possible with the support of Acción Cultural Española (AC/E).
Saturday, October 3 | $ 80.00 Adults, $65.00 Children under 13 | 3-4.5 hours
Ticket Purchasing Deadline: Monday, September 28 at 3:00 PM
If you have any questions, please contact the Membership Department: membership@whalingmuseum.org or EXT. 153.
FAQs
- Can I bring my friend who is not a member?
Yes! This trip is open to Museum Members and their friends and family. An active Museum membership is required to reserve tickets. If your friend is not yet a member, they are welcome to join here: https://www.whalingmuseum.org/support/join/ - What is included in the trip price?
The ticket price includes the whale watch only. Transportation to and from Plymouth is not included. - What amenities are available onboard?
The boat is equipped with restrooms and offers food and beverages for purchase. - What should I bring?
Temperatures on the water are typically 10–15 degrees cooler than on land, so we recommend dressing in light layers and bringing a rain jacket in case the weather changes. You may also want to bring binoculars, a camera, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Closed-toe shoes are recommended. - What types of whales could we see?
Captain Johns Boats has a 99% success rate on seeing whales during their excursions. We will head out to Cape Cod Bay and Stellwagen Bank, a marine sanctuary and one of the primary feeding grounds for humpback whales, finback whales, pilot whales, minke whales, and the endangered right whales. The naturalists onboard will tell you more about these types of whales throughout the tour, identifying which species of whale you are viewing and providing educational information about their habits. - Where do I arrive and where should I park?
Please arrive at 11:00am at 10 Town Wharf Suite #3848, Plymouth, MA 02360. Parking in town is managed by Park Plymouth: https://www.parkplymouth.com/parkplymouth-homepage.html - Can I receive a refund if I need to cancel?
You may receive a full refund if you cancel by September 28 at 9:00 AM. Cancellations received after September 28 at 9:00 AM are not eligible for a refund.
Members’ Day Trip: Whale Watch in Plymouth
Saturday, October 3 | $ 80.00 Adults, $65.00 Children under 13 | 3-4.5 hours
Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum for an exclusive Members Day Trip of a whale watch with Captain John Boats in Plymouth, Massachusetts! Join us on the journey as we head out to Cape Cod Bay and Stellwagen Bank, a marine sanctuary and one of the primary feeding grounds for humpback, fin and minke whales. Considered one of the ten best whale watching locations on the planet, this is also a good location to spot common and white-sided dolphins, harbor porpoises, and large species of fish such as ocean sunfish, basking shark and mako shark.
You will be accompanied by onboard naturalists, as well as NBWM Associate Curator of Science and Research, Robert Rocha, who will share additional insights about the whales and their habitat. Each participant will receive an exclusive NBWM goodie bag with whale-themed surprises. It promises to be an unforgettable day on the water!
Meet Robert Rocha
Robert Rocha currently serves as the Associate Curator of Science and Research at the New Bedford Whaling Museum where he has worked since 2004. Robert leads the development of science content for exhibitions and manages and catalogs the Museum’s natural history collection. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southeastern Massachusetts University (1987) and a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England (1993). He is Executive Director of Massachusetts Marine Educators (MME), Past President of National Marine Educators Association (NMEA), Chair of NMEA’s Conference Committee, and serves on the Advisory Committee for New Bedford Science Café. He co-authored Emptying the Oceans: A Summary of Industrial Whaling in the 20th Century, published by NOAA’s Office of Publications, and has contributed to numerous NBWM and professional publications.
Itinerary
11:00 a.m: Arrive at Captain John Boats (10 Town Wharf, Plymouth, MA 02360) where you will check-in with NBWM staff before boarding
12:00 pm: Depart for whale watch
3:00-4:30: Return to the dock (actual duration of the excursion depends on the location of the whales)
Homeschool Day
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Learn about art, history, science, and culture with activities designed for homeschool families. Explore the Kid’s Corner and the Interactive Topographic Sand Table or come for favorite activities like the Inflatable Whale. Look for scavenger hunt whales, and pretend to live on a whaling ship in the Sailor's Nook!
Homeschoolers (ages 4-18) can visit at a discounted rate of $10.00 per student and $12.00 per adult for general admission. Children under 3 are free. On Homeschool Days, general admission includes the Inflatable Whale, Lagoda Below Deck, and other activity stations around the museum.
Add tickets for the 3D Movie for $4.00 per person. Shark Kingdom is a 25-minute 3D Movie with showings at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, and 2:30 pm. Recommended for all ages.
Schedule of Activities
🔹 Squid Dissection Workshop in Museum Classroom (Main Level)
Use dissecting tools to discover the unusual adaptations of squid by investigating their external and internal anatomy. This 60-minute hands-on Squid Dissection workshop is available at 9:45 am; 11:30 am; or 1:30 pm. $7.00 for participating students; no charge for accompanying adults. Pre-registration is recommended and space is limited to 16 students per session. Recommended for students ages 8 and older.
Allergy Notice: The Squid Dissection workshop 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 workshop and allergies, please call (508) 997-0046 x184.
🔹 Historic Document Workshop in Reading Room (Main Level)
Explore whaling logbooks and other historic documents to learn how historians conduct primary source research. This 45-minute hands-on Historic Document workshop begins at 11:00 am. Pre-registration is recommended for participating students. There is no charge for accompanying adults. The workshop is limited to 20 students per session. Recommended for students ages 10 and older.
General Admission Activities:
Explore activities around the museum at scheduled times.
🔹 All about Whales in Exploring Our Ecosystem Exhibit (Lower Level)
Learn about whales' adaptations to their environment, and the impacts of climate change on the ecosystem. Drop-in station open from 9:15–11:45 am.
🔹 STEM Design Challenge in Exploring Our Ecosystem Exhibit (Lower Level)
Explore mitigation strategies to combat sea level rise in this hands-on activity. Drop-in station open from 12:30-2:30 pm.
🔹 Shark Activity in "City that Lit the World" Exhibit (Main Level)
Come learn why sharks are such amazing predators through a hands-on craft to deeper the connection to the 3D movie, Shark Kingdom. Drop-in craft activity open from 10:30 am–2:00 pm.
🔹 Lagoda Below Deck at the Lagoda Whaling Ship (Main Level)
Explore the lower deck of the Lagoda whaling ship and see the quarters of the captain and mates. Open from 9:45–11:30 am and 12:30–2:00 pm. (Not accessible for some visitors with mobility needs.)
🔹 Inflatable Whale in Harbor View Gallery (Upper Level)
Climb inside a 43-foot long inflatable humpback whale to examine internal organs of this marine mammal. Open from 10:00 am–12:00 pm and 1:00–3:00 pm. (Not accessible for some visitors with mobility needs.)
🔹 "Thar She Blows!" Whale Spouts Activity in Harbor View Gallery (Upper Level)
Learn about what whale spouts are and how scientists, and crew on whaling ships, can identify whale species by these incredible displays. Drop-in craft activity open from 10:00 am–3:00 pm.
🔹 History Storytime in Kid's Corner (Main Level)
Listen to stories of real people who took a stand and made a difference. Meet in the Kid's Corner at 10:45 am and 12:45 pm.
🔹 Whaling History Tour meet in the front lobby (Lobby Level) at 11:45 am and 2:00 pm. Learn more about whaling history on a 30-minute guided tour of museum exhibits.
Lunch or Snacks
Bring your own food and enjoy lunch or snacks at tables in Harbor View Gallery from 9:00 am-3:00 pm. (No food is available for purchase at the museum and food and drinks are only permitted in this space.)
Contact: learning@whalingmuseum.org or (508) 997-0046 x181 for questions about tickets, schedules, or activities.
