This eye-opening rethinking of nineteenth-century American history reveals the interdependence of the Northern industrial economy and Southern slave labor, as told by historian Seth Rockman, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for History.

This September, become part of a global celebration of cinema! Join over 100,000 film lovers in 500+ cities across six continents to watch the Finalists’ Films in the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival—and cast your vote to help decide the winners!

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with internationally acclaimed Spanish author and illustrator Manuel Marsol as he discusses his award-winning picture book, Ahab and the White Whale, with stunning illustrations and gentle humor that reimagine Ahab for a new generation of readers.

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.

Join us in conversation with artist and retired Professor of Fine Arts Adrian Tió, who will share his artist’s journey and the story behind a selection of his work that will be on view in an upcoming book arts exhibition at the Whaling Museum.

Experience a night of immersive indie music as the Whaling Museum transforms into a multi-gallery stage, featuring live performances ranging from acoustic sets to experimental acts. Presented in collaboration with Unexpected Music, this 18+ event celebrates New Bedford’s vibrant creative community.

Presented in collaboration with the FABRIC Arts Festival and the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Portuguese and Lusophone-World Lecture Series, the evening offers three distinct experiences of food, film, and music.

Come join artist Susan Heideman for an in-gallery talk about the exhibition Proteanna, on view at the New Bedford Whaling Museum through November 1st, 2026.

Join special guest travel host Maria Lawton for an unforgettable exploration of São Miguel culture, cuisine, and breathtaking landscapes.

Join the Moby-Dick Book Club, a virtual three-part series exploring Herman Melville’s iconic American novel. Whether you’re reading it for the first time or returning to it with fresh eyes, all are welcome to take part in engaging, thought-provoking conversations led by some of the world’s leading Melville scholars.

Learn how both the notion of a Maine “fishing community” and the relationship the people of Maine have with the natural world has changed over time from author Janna M. Smith.

Celebrate National Authors’ Day at the New Bedford Whaling Museum with a special event honoring the writers and illustrators who bring maritime history and coastal culture to life. Browse a curated pop-up book sale from the Museum Store, meet select authors, and enjoy book signings with select authors.

Join the New Bedford Whaling Museum for a day trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA.

Celebrate hip hop at the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s First Friday! Curated with 3rd EyE Unlimited, the night features a live DJ, dance, spoken word, and art in the Harbor View Gallery. Join us for an evening of rhythm and local talent on the waterfront.

Join author Jen Rose Smith to think about ice—glaciers, snow, snowflakes—in material ways, scientific ways, cultural ways, and to approach ice through a critical lens that puts the politics of race and indigeneity and the violence of dispossession and racialization at the center.

May Babcock is an eco-centric artist that creates paper works and sculptural forms from natural materials she sources from local environments. Join us in conversation as she shares her process in creating works for her New Ecologies series, a collection of sculptural paper forms constructed from sites around New England.

Close out the 2026 First Fridays series with the ocean-inspired sounds of The Whale Guitar and Sharks Come Cruisin’. Enjoy energetic sea shanties, a cash bar, and light bites in the Harbor View Gallery. Don’t miss this celebration of maritime community!

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition New Ecologies: May Babcock (on view November 20, 2026–April 18, 2027), this special evening program brings together film, contemporary dance, and conversation to explore how artists respond to changing landscapes and emerging ecological systems.

Journey through uncharted literary waters and explore Melville’s epic in bold new light with writer and literary historian Steve Mentz.

Each January, the New Bedford Whaling Museum hosts a celebrated live reading of Moby-Dick. The annual Marathon draws global enthusiasts—both in-person and online—to share in this remarkable literary tradition.

Join special guest travel host Maria Lawton for an unforgettable exploration of the North of Portugal, cuisine and breathtaking landscapes.