Past Programs

In 1989 Tracy Edwards leads the first all-female crew in the grueling Whitbread Round the World Race. Ultimately this film has strong messages about teamwork, communication, perseverance, and courage.

Herman Melville’s literary masterpiece was celebrated at the Museum’s 2020 readathon of Moby-Dick.

A complimentary event for Museum Members featuring seasonal libations, festive hors d’oeuvres, and live music.

A selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm festival.

Who stole the jewels from the Whaling Museum’s collection and why? Presented by the New Bedford Whaling Museum High School Apprentices.

Educators mingled with colleagues and New Bedford Whaling Museum staff, enjoyed light refreshments and giveaways, and previewed Whaling Museum education programs during this special after-school event.

Experts in the field explored and discussed the exhibition De Wind is Op! and related themes in greater depth at this one-day symposium.

An exploration of the rich heritage of the Azorean whaleboat with Bruce Halabisky, from design through restoration, and its emergence as a modern international racing class.

Present a Museum Day ticket for free admission on Saturday, September 21, 2019.

A rare behind-the-scenes look at an oceanographic research expedition in action during a live link with scientists who are exploring the wreck of the Portland.

Family programs explored wind, waves, whales and local history all summer long!

Explore deep cultural ties and discover mainland Portugal September 25 – October 4, 2019.

Whaling Museum admission was free on Friday, August 9th! Sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation.

Chief Curator Dr. Christina Connett Brophy explored some of the exceptional Golden Age paintings, in the current exhibition, through a fresh lens.

The evening reception was followed by a special seated dinner in the Bourne Building.

A free family event at the Museum – exploring wind, waves, whales, and ocean health.

Showcasing many forms of media from our local community, this exhibition is in honor of Judge George N. Leighton.

An exhibition exploring the Collection through the lenses of wind, climate, and the sea as the drivers behind a uniquely Dutch national identity. The opening reception was free and open to the public.

On this free one-hour tour, stories were told about the lives of historic women who lived and worked on Spring and Seventh Streets in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

An anthology that includes sixty-one poems – all written since 2000 by contemporary American poets. A new Spinner Publications release and edited by Elizabeth Schultz and Kylan Rice.

In June, the New Bedford Whaling Museum hosted a free professional development workshop for educators. Presented by Lighting the Way: Historic Women of the SouthCoast

The Photographer’s Brush–Watercolors by Norman Fortier.

An interpretive dance performance by Tilted Collab Dance Company of Cambridge, MA, inspired by the new exhibition Whales Today.

Artists were invited to submit proposals that interpret and speak to the Cape Verdean experience in Cabo Verde or the United States for this Whaling Museum exhibition.

Thursday, May 23, 2019. Open to the membership and the public.

Reception and celebration for the opening of this apprentice-designed exhibition.

A documentary film about the fight over the world’s richest fishing grounds. Presented in partnership with the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center.

The world’s only forum devoted to the indigenous shipboard art of whalers during the “Age of Sail.”

The Nautical Antiques Show kicked off this year’s Scrimshaw Weekend and featured high-quality antiques from some of New England’s most respected dealers.

Gaps in Analysis and New Perspectives on Whaling, World Cultures, and Contemporary Issues.

The week’s activities included Right Whale Day on Monday, NASA Space Day: Explorations of Faraway Places on Thursday presented by New Bedford Science Café Kids, and more!

Learn to eat, see, and hear like a right whale! Hands-on marine-themed crafts and activities help foster a greater appreciation for the status and plight of this magnificent marine mammal.

An evening with Emmy-nominated comedian, political satirist and host of CNN’s United Shades of America. W. Kamau Bell is known for his incisive, scathingly funny commentary on modern society.

Dr. Richard Connor’s lecture brought attendees ‘onboard’ for 30 years of incredible dolphin discoveries.

An indoor guided tour of the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s collections, exploring the historical impact of inspiring SouthCoast women.

Alex Bocconcelli, Research Specialist at WHOI, dove deep into the history of beaked whales.

This year’s opening lecture featured stories of the Abel-J, the research vessel that William Watkins journeyed on to gather his foundational recordings of marine mammal bioacoustics.

On AHA! night, young people ages 12 to 25 years lit up the night with brilliant words illuminating the lives of historic women of the SouthCoast.

Visitors learned how the U.S. Navy and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) contribute to the protection of marine mammals, and more at the Museum’s newly installed Whales Today exhibition.

Kids and young scientists discovered how dolphins and fish communicate, learned how sound travels in the ocean, found out creative ways that scientists cut down on ocean noise pollution and listened to the language of right whales.

The Museum’s February Vacation Week featured Captain Paul Cuffe Day and free “Whales Today” fun. A special ocean-themed New Bedford Science Café Kids took place on Friday.

To celebrate the life, times, and legacy of one of New England’s most remarkable figures.

A documentary on Herman Melville, the writing of Moby-Dick, and Melville’s secret love affair. AHA! night at the Museum.

The Museum’s annual read-a-thon of America’s most iconic novel, Moby-Dick. Besides the main reading, the event includes two mini-marathons: a Portuguese-language reading of an abridged Moby-Dick and a children’s version of the novel.