Morabeza: Cape Verdean Community in the South Coast at New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

The temporary exhibition Morabeza: Cape Verdean Community in the South Coast is hosted in the San Francisco galleries, adjoining the permanent gallery devoted to Cape Verdean culture that opened in 2011. It features personal stories, oral histories, music, photographs, and belongings from individuals and community organizations to tell the story of the Cape Verdean diaspora across the region, spanning the South Coast, Rhode Island, and Cape Cod.

Claridade: Cape Verdean Identity in Contemporary Art at New Bedford Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

In 2025, communities across the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Cape Verdean independence from Portugal. New Bedford and the greater South Coast area of New England are home to one of the largest and longest-standing Cape Verdean communities outside of Cabo Verde. In marking this occasion, the New Bedford Whaling Museum presents the Contemporary Cape Verdean 2025 project, which explores the Cape Verdean American and Cape Verdean experience through the lens of contemporary art and community storytelling. The exhibition Claridade: Cape Verdean Identity in Contemporary Art, hosted in the Wattles Family Gallery, weaves together work by contemporary Cape Verdean and Cape Verdean American visual artists and filmmakers. The title of the exhibition is inspired from the Cape Verdean literary review Claridade that ran intermittently from 1936 to 1960. Portuguese for “clarity” or “light,” the publication served as a platform for discussion and analysis around Cape Verdean identity. Working as a space for similar reflections and consideration, the exhibition will include sculpture, fiber arts, mixed media works on paper, paintings, poetry, and video installation and include artists who were born on Cape Verde, those who emigrated to the United States, and those born in the United States and the […]

AHA! Night – Tunes, Treats, & Creative Streets

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

Join us for an evening of music, creativity, and family fun at the Whaling Museum! October’s AHA! Night is all about celebrating community with playful activities, hands-on artmaking, and festive treats. From scavenger hunts to limbo challenges to a colorful kite-making workshop, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Free admission! 4:00–5:00 PM | Free Museum Admission & Scavenger Hunt Treat yourself to free admission with full gallery access from 4:00 to 5:00 PM during every AHA! Night. (Additional free programs with limited gallery access continue from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.) Pick up a scavenger hunt card at the front desk and search for hidden whales throughout the galleries. Find them all within the 1-hour allowed timeframe (4:00–5:00 PM) and earn a special treat! 5:00–6:00 PM | Seasonal Tunes & “Limbo Low” Move and groove to a lively curated playlist for the season, mixing family favorites with tunes for adults in the Whales Today / Jacobs Family Gallery. Kids (and kids at heart) can also explore the sand table or climb inside the giant whale heart. Test your flexibility with our limbo challenge—treats for all participants! 5:00–6:30 PM | Giant Kite Workshop Get creative with multi-media artist Magda Leon and make […]

Free
Moby-Dick Virtual Book Club

Moby-Dick Virtual Book Club

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

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. Marina Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture, will moderate the series, which meets virtually on the third Tuesday of the month in September, October, and November 2025 from 5:30 to 6:30pm. These sessions will prepare readers for the 30th Moby-Dick Marathon at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, taking place on January 3, 2026. Each session centers on a guiding theme and includes a suggested reading schedule—but participants are encouraged to read at their own pace and join when they can. Bring your thoughts, questions, and interpretations to share with fellow readers and Melville experts alike. Virtual Session Schedule: Tuesday, September 16, at 5:30pm Extracts to Chapter 47 Theme: Making Meaning in Moby-Dick Featured Guests: Professors Tony McGowan & Tim Marr Tuesday, October 21 at 5:30pm Chapter 48 to Chapter 95 Theme: Race, Nation, and Representation Featured Guests: Professors Bob Wallace & Wyn Kelley Tuesday, November 18 at 5:30pm Chapter 96 […]

Climate Future Film Festival

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

Program Highlights This eclectic lineup features 10 short films from four continents, showcasing a variety of genres, including drama, documentary, comedy, and award-winning animation. These films capture the spectrum of emotional and intellectual responses to climate change—from optimism and resilience to grief and resolve. Expect moments of humor (yes, humor!) alongside poignant reflections and stunning visuals. Renowned climate leader and author Bill McKibben serves as the festival’s Honorary Judge. As part of the screening, Bill will provide an engaging video introduction, offering insights into the films and their relevance to our shared climate challenges. He has also personally selected the three top films to receive awards during the program. Although Bill will only appear on video during this screening, he will be at the Whaling Museum in person the following day for the New Bedford Lyceum program. Festival Themes The films tackle diverse perspectives on our climate future, exposing a range of responses: Optimism vs. Cynicism Climate Denial vs. Climate Grief Rage vs. Resilience Tickets Tickets are $10 for Museum Members and $20 for Non-Members. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early! Don’t miss this evening of creativity, insight, and connection as we explore the many ways we face […]

$20

New Bedford Lyceum with Bill McKibben

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

Of all the challenges we face, one of the most urgent is our rapidly warming planet—and few voices have done more to illuminate and confront this crisis than Bill McKibben. A celebrated author, educator, and activist, McKibben has spent decades translating the science of climate change into a call for collective action. In his keynote Solar, Society, and the Shifting Climate, McKibben will explore the promise of solar energy, the fight for climate justice, and the power of community to create change. Known for weaving data, stories, and hope into his talks, he offers both practical solutions and moral clarity—reminding us that while personal choices matter, movements move the needle fastest when people stand together. This keynote concludes a two-day climate learning experience at the Whaling Museum, beginning with the international Climate Future Film Festival on Friday, October 24—a touring series of short films capturing the human side of the climate crisis—grief, resilience, absurdity, and determination. As the Festival’s Honorary Judge, McKibben appears in the film to introduce the program before taking the stage in person the following evening. Film program tickets sold separately. Author of fifteen books, including the groundbreaking The End of Nature and his newest release Here […]

$15 – $75

Deep Sea Monsters: Halloween Day at the Whaling Museum

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

Dive into a Halloween-themed afternoon at the Whaling Museum, where maritime history meets spooky fun! Discover the stories of "monsters" brought home by sailors throughout history, embark on a scavenger hunt with some not-so-scary spooky whales of our own, and join an undersea quest in the movie Deep. Some of the "monsters" brought home by sailors were based on partial sightings of real animals, and were magnified by fear, imagination, and the perils of whaling life. These included: Kraken – The legendary giant squid, said to drag ships beneath the waves. Modern science confirms colossal squids (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) do exist, with eyes the size of dinner plates. Leviathan – A biblical sea serpent, sometimes described as a monstrous whale. Likely inspired by sperm whales, which can grow over 60 feet long and dive a mile deep. Sea Serpents – Frequently reported in the 18th and 19th centuries, often likely sightings of oarfish, long ribbon-like fish that can exceed 30 feet. Merfolk & Sirens – Rooted in sightings of manatees and dugongs, transformed into eerie tales by sailors’ imaginations. Ghost Whales – Pale, scarred whales that evaded harpoons inspired legends and stories like Mocha Dick, the real-life inspiration for Moby-Dick. These […]

Free

Moby-Dick Virtual Book Club

Moby-Dick Virtual Book Club

New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States

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. Marina Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture, will moderate the series, which meets virtually on the third Tuesday of the month in September, October, and November 2025 from 5:30 to 6:30pm. These sessions will prepare readers for the 30th Moby-Dick Marathon at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, taking place on January 3, 2026. Each session centers on a guiding theme and includes a suggested reading schedule—but participants are encouraged to read at their own pace and join when they can. Bring your thoughts, questions, and interpretations to share with fellow readers and Melville experts alike. Virtual Session Schedule: Tuesday, September 16, at 5:30pm Extracts to Chapter 47 Theme: Making Meaning in Moby-Dick Featured Guests: Professors Tony McGowan & Tim Marr Tuesday, October 21 at 5:30pm Chapter 48 to Chapter 95 Theme: Race, Nation, and Representation Featured Guests: Professors Bob Wallace & Wyn Kelley Tuesday, November 18 at 5:30pm Chapter 96 […]

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Photo Credit: Josh Souza