State Senator Ed Kennedy recently visited the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The Museum was first created in 1903 as part of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society. The museum collection contains more than 750,000 items relevant to the whaling industry and local history in the New Bedford area. The museum also maintains a significant collection of fine art and crafts by local artisans from the whaling era.
New Bedford Whaling Museum offers visitors the opportunity to explore the rich history of the whaling industry and New Bedford. The Museum features interactive exhibits, including the world’s largest whaling ship model; displays of fine and decorative arts, collections of cultural artifacts, rare antiquities, logbooks; and five whale skeletons including the rare blue and northern right whale. Today, the Museum plays a critical role as a champion for whale preservation and as a guardian of our heritage and culture.
Historically, whaling was an essential economic driver for our port communities and also for a rapidly expanding and industrializing society. The wealth and economic capacity generated by whaling fueled the growth and diversity of the SouthCoast region. New Bedford was known as “The City that Lit the World” and was home to more than 500 whaling ships during the 19th Century.
The Museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It is part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and it is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in New Bedford.
