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The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the largest museum in America devoted to the history of the American whaling industry and its greatest port. Through exhibits, publications, and programs, the Museum brings to life the whaling era and the history of the local area. It houses the most extensive collection of art, artifacts, and manuscripts pertaining to American whaling in the age of sail - late eighteenth century to the early twentieth, when sailing ships dominated merchant trade and whaling.

Exhibits

From Pursuit to Preservation: The History of Human Interaction With Whales, examines, explains and explores the human fascination with whales and the history of whaling in New Bedford in a global context. This new comprehensive exhibition guides visitors through the story of humankind's evolving relationship with whales, from the whale as monster and source of survival to contemporary methods of observation and study. The multimedia exhibit takes visitors on a journey using unique artifacts, art, audio guides, interpretive signs and interactive displays to involve visitors in the discovery of the symbolic, spiritual and cultural connections we share with these majestic and increasingly endangered animals.

Classic Whaling Prints: Over the centuries, the hazards and pleasures of seafaring, the high drama of the mythic whale hunt and the beauty of the many exotic whaling ports around the world have attracted highly accomplished artists and printmakers to whaling subjects. As the repository of the world's largest and most comprehensive permanent collection of whaling prints, the Whaling Museum is staging a Classic Whaling Prints exhibition showcasing the benchmark masterpieces in the Whaling Museum's possession. The exhibition traces highlights of the genre from Dutch and German foundations in the 17th century; to French, British and American masterworks of the 19th century; to examples from Japan and the American 20th century.

Right Whales: The New Bedford Whaling Museum acquired the skeleton of a pregnant female northern right whale in February 2005. Articulation of the whale was started in May of 2006, and completed in 2009. To our knowledge this is the only skeleton of a pregnant female right whale and her fetus in existence in the United States.The right whale is part of a collection that includes a blue, a sperm, and a humpback whale. The sperm, the humpback and the right whales were species targeted out of New Bedford during the high point of the global whaling industry. Currently, the northern right whale is the most endangered of all major species in United States waters, with only about 350 individuals. The museum was able to obtain this skeleton after the whale was struck by a ship off the coast of Virginia on November 17, 2004 and washed ashore in North Carolina on November 24, 2004.

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