New Bedford Whaling Museum

Visit this remarkable whaling museum that boasts the largest model of a whaling ship as well as America's longest painting.

Discover art, history, science, and culture when you pay a visit to the New Bedford Whaling Museum in the historic town of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Established in 1903 and the largest museum dedicated to the global whaling industry, this museum brings guests back in time to a bygone era that still heavily influences the region today.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum has an impressive collection of around 750,000 artifacts that include engraved bones and ivory, known as scrimshaw, whaling boat logbooks, several complete whale skeletons, ship replicas, and America’s longest painting. The museum also explores some of the difficult topics surrounding the matter of whaling such as resource depletion and how we can strive to do better by conserving marine life.

Daily tours that are included in the price of admission are offered here, as well. This is a fantastic way to discover the museum’s highlights and receive insight into the history of whaling off the coast of Massachusetts from passionate professionals. The museum has 11 permanent exhibits as well as rotating ones that further showcase art, history, and culture related to whaling. When you make a trip to the New Bedford Whaling Museum, you’re guaranteed to learn and achieve a new perspective on the history of whaling. Add a visit here to your coastal Massachusetts itinerary and gain appreciation for the history, art, and legacy of whaling, as well as the major role the region has played in this global industry.