• Author Book Talk: Sarah Crabtree

    New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States +1 more

    Thursday, August 27 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Free, virtual program; registration required About the Author: Sarah Crabtree is Professor of History at San Francisco State University, holds a PhD from the University of Minnesota, and studies the changing relationship between religion and nation in the Atlantic World during the ‘Age of Revolution and Reaction’ (roughly 1750 – 1830). She is the author of Holy Nation: The Transatlantic Quaker Ministry in an Age of Revolution, which argues that the Society of Friends challenged the ways in which the wars for independence and empire of this era reconfigured definitions of citizenship and subjecthood. Quakers resisted the demands for loyalty and sacrifice by the worldly governments under which they lived; in so doing, they represented a markedly different way of thinking about and being part of civil society. She has published about women’s experience on early sailing ships, arguing that the spatial orientation of these vessels was explicitly classed and gendered, and teaches courses on the American colonies, U.S. religious history, Atlantic World and maritime history. Melissa Philley is a graduate of the MFA in Comics program at California College of the Arts. She uses traditional and digital tools to create […]

  • LIFELONG LEARNING: Short-course in the History of Photography, 1839-1900

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

    Co-Led by Naomi Slipp, Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator & Director of Museum Learning; Marina Dawn Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture This unique virtual course combines six weekly 80-minute sessions of lecture and discussion, with a culminating hands-on workshop at the Museum. Learn what photography is and how it transformed the world directly from experts in the field using the vast resources of the NBWM photography collection as your study materials. Everyone walks around today with a camera in our pocket. But that was not always the case. Our world is saturated with photographic images – from magazine covers and Facebook feeds to Instagram and billboards–but have you ever stopped to wonder how these images work, what they are trying to say to you, or what histories they may connect with? This course introduces life-long learners to the history of photography, from the invention of the medium in 1839 to the birth of Kodak and snapshot photography in 1900. Photographs will be studied as art objects and historical artifacts. Themes include technological innovations; debates between art photography, commercial photography, and documentary photography; government and private patronage; individual or collective endeavors; original and published […]

  • First Fridays: Brass, Sass and Serious Fun!

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

    Friday, September 4, 2026 | Doors at 5:00 PM and Music Program at 6:00 PM Kick off your Labor Day weekend at the New Bedford Whaling Museum with an evening of art, culture, and high-energy live music as part of our popular First Fridays series. Enjoy full Museum access and explore the galleries at your leisure before the music begins. Live Music performance by The Catnip Junkies Band starts at 6:00 PM in the Harbor View Gallery. Brass, sass, and serious fun! The Catnip Junkies bring genre-defying, New Orleans–style grooves with a playful, party-ready vibe. Happy, tappy, and brassy, this is definitely not your ordinary cover band. Infused with the infectious energy of New Orleans street bands, The Catnip Junkies mix stylized pop covers, Tin Pan Alley classics, and traditional jazz favorites—complete with hilarious antics that guarantee engagement and entertainment from start to finish. With contagious joy, The Catnip Junkies always delivers excitement that elevates any occasion, promising a truly memorable First Friday. About First Fridays First Fridays at the New Bedford Whaling Museum offer a vibrant after-hours experience blending art, history, culture, music, and community. Each month features special gallery access, live entertainment, and a relaxed social atmosphere. Cash […]

  • LIFELONG LEARNING: Short-course in the History of Photography, 1839-1900

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

    Co-Led by Naomi Slipp, Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator & Director of Museum Learning; Marina Dawn Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture This unique virtual course combines six weekly 80-minute sessions of lecture and discussion, with a culminating hands-on workshop at the Museum. Learn what photography is and how it transformed the world directly from experts in the field using the vast resources of the NBWM photography collection as your study materials. Everyone walks around today with a camera in our pocket. But that was not always the case. Our world is saturated with photographic images – from magazine covers and Facebook feeds to Instagram and billboards–but have you ever stopped to wonder how these images work, what they are trying to say to you, or what histories they may connect with? This course introduces life-long learners to the history of photography, from the invention of the medium in 1839 to the birth of Kodak and snapshot photography in 1900. Photographs will be studied as art objects and historical artifacts. Themes include technological innovations; debates between art photography, commercial photography, and documentary photography; government and private patronage; individual or collective endeavors; original and published […]

  • LIFELONG LEARNING: Short-course in the History of Photography, 1839-1900

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

    Co-Led by Naomi Slipp, Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator & Director of Museum Learning; Marina Dawn Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture This unique virtual course combines six weekly 80-minute sessions of lecture and discussion, with a culminating hands-on workshop at the Museum. Learn what photography is and how it transformed the world directly from experts in the field using the vast resources of the NBWM photography collection as your study materials. Everyone walks around today with a camera in our pocket. But that was not always the case. Our world is saturated with photographic images – from magazine covers and Facebook feeds to Instagram and billboards–but have you ever stopped to wonder how these images work, what they are trying to say to you, or what histories they may connect with? This course introduces life-long learners to the history of photography, from the invention of the medium in 1839 to the birth of Kodak and snapshot photography in 1900. Photographs will be studied as art objects and historical artifacts. Themes include technological innovations; debates between art photography, commercial photography, and documentary photography; government and private patronage; individual or collective endeavors; original and published […]

  • LIFELONG LEARNING: Short-course in the History of Photography, 1839-1900

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

    Co-Led by Naomi Slipp, Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator & Director of Museum Learning; Marina Dawn Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture This unique virtual course combines six weekly 80-minute sessions of lecture and discussion, with a culminating hands-on workshop at the Museum. Learn what photography is and how it transformed the world directly from experts in the field using the vast resources of the NBWM photography collection as your study materials. Everyone walks around today with a camera in our pocket. But that was not always the case. Our world is saturated with photographic images – from magazine covers and Facebook feeds to Instagram and billboards–but have you ever stopped to wonder how these images work, what they are trying to say to you, or what histories they may connect with? This course introduces life-long learners to the history of photography, from the invention of the medium in 1839 to the birth of Kodak and snapshot photography in 1900. Photographs will be studied as art objects and historical artifacts. Themes include technological innovations; debates between art photography, commercial photography, and documentary photography; government and private patronage; individual or collective endeavors; original and published […]

  • Author Book Talk: Seth Rockman

    New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States +1 more

    Thursday, September 24 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Free, virtual program; registration required About the Author: Seth Rockman is a historian of the United States focusing on the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War and serves as George L. Littlefield Professor of American History and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of History at Brown University. His research unfolds at the intersection of slavery studies, labor history, material culture studies, and the history of capitalism. Rockman’s earlier work— the award-winning Scraping By: Wage Labor, Slavery, and Survival in Early Baltimore (2009) and the co-edited volume Slavery’s Capitalism: A New History of American Economic Development (2016)— sought to better understand the relationship of slavery and capitalism in the American past. In December 2022, Rockman shared his research findings with the US House Financial Services Committee in live testimony. Rockman’s newest book, Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery, was published by University of Chicago Press in Fall 2024 and named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. The book won the 2025 Philip Taft Labor History Book Award, earned distinction as a finalist for the Mark Lynton History Prize, and appears on the longlist […]

  • 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival

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

    ONE WORLD - ONE WEEK - ONE FESTIVAL Experience the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival at the Whaling Museum Thursday, September 24, 2026 | Doors: 5:30 PM & Screening: 6:00 PM Step into the global spotlight as the Whaling Museum proudly hosts the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival, uniting over 100,000 film enthusiasts across 400 venues on six continents. Be part of the excitement as we screen a selection of world-class short films and cast your vote to decide the coveted awards for Best Film and Best Actor. Enjoy the magic of cinema like never before with theater-quality projection in the Cook Memorial Theater, bringing every frame to life with stunning clarity and vibrant detail. What makes this festival truly extraordinary? Each short film earns automatic Oscar qualification, making MANHATTAN SHORT the ultimate stage for celebrating visionary directors and captivating performances. Your vote matters, and the winners will be revealed at ManhattanShort.com after the festival concludes. Don’t miss this unforgettable evening of creativity, inspiration, and cinematic brilliance.

  • LIFELONG LEARNING: Short-course in the History of Photography, 1839-1900

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

    Co-Led by Naomi Slipp, Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator & Director of Museum Learning; Marina Dawn Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture This unique virtual course combines six weekly 80-minute sessions of lecture and discussion, with a culminating hands-on workshop at the Museum. Learn what photography is and how it transformed the world directly from experts in the field using the vast resources of the NBWM photography collection as your study materials. Everyone walks around today with a camera in our pocket. But that was not always the case. Our world is saturated with photographic images – from magazine covers and Facebook feeds to Instagram and billboards–but have you ever stopped to wonder how these images work, what they are trying to say to you, or what histories they may connect with? This course introduces life-long learners to the history of photography, from the invention of the medium in 1839 to the birth of Kodak and snapshot photography in 1900. Photographs will be studied as art objects and historical artifacts. Themes include technological innovations; debates between art photography, commercial photography, and documentary photography; government and private patronage; individual or collective endeavors; original and published […]

  • Art Talks! Adrian R. Tió

    New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA, United States +1 more

    Friday, October 2, 12:00-1:00pm Free, virtual program; registration required Online series featuring conversations with artists working on projects with or at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. About the artist: The artist was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to parents who had emigrated from the Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico. Tió received his fine arts training from the University of Cincinnati (M.F.A. 1979) and Temple University (B.A. 1974) as well as post-baccalaureate study with the Tyler School of Art in Rome, Italy (1975-76). The artist has exhibited nationally as well as regionally in printmaking, drawing, and painting for over 50 years, and has conducted workshops on mural painting, papermaking and the book arts. Tió has received recognition for his work through exhibition awards and creative research grants from Arts Midwest/NEA, Indiana Arts Commission, Indiana State University Arts Endowment, Ohio Arts Council, New Forms Regional Grant Program, Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, and Bowling Green State University. Residing in Mattapoisett, MA, Tió is a retired Professor of Fine Arts having served on the faculties at Bowling Green State University, Indiana State University, Northern Illinois University, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Tió presently maintains Hare of the Dog Press & Studio in […]

  • LIFELONG LEARNING: Short-course in the History of Photography, 1839-1900

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

    Co-Led by Naomi Slipp, Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator & Director of Museum Learning; Marina Dawn Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture This unique virtual course combines six weekly 80-minute sessions of lecture and discussion, with a culminating hands-on workshop at the Museum. Learn what photography is and how it transformed the world directly from experts in the field using the vast resources of the NBWM photography collection as your study materials. Everyone walks around today with a camera in our pocket. But that was not always the case. Our world is saturated with photographic images – from magazine covers and Facebook feeds to Instagram and billboards–but have you ever stopped to wonder how these images work, what they are trying to say to you, or what histories they may connect with? This course introduces life-long learners to the history of photography, from the invention of the medium in 1839 to the birth of Kodak and snapshot photography in 1900. Photographs will be studied as art objects and historical artifacts. Themes include technological innovations; debates between art photography, commercial photography, and documentary photography; government and private patronage; individual or collective endeavors; original and published […]

  • LIFELONG LEARNING: Short-course in the History of Photography, 1839-1900

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

    Co-Led by Naomi Slipp, Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator & Director of Museum Learning; Marina Dawn Wells, Assistant Curator of History & Culture This unique virtual course combines six weekly 80-minute sessions of lecture and discussion, with a culminating hands-on workshop at the Museum. Learn what photography is and how it transformed the world directly from experts in the field using the vast resources of the NBWM photography collection as your study materials. Everyone walks around today with a camera in our pocket. But that was not always the case. Our world is saturated with photographic images – from magazine covers and Facebook feeds to Instagram and billboards–but have you ever stopped to wonder how these images work, what they are trying to say to you, or what histories they may connect with? This course introduces life-long learners to the history of photography, from the invention of the medium in 1839 to the birth of Kodak and snapshot photography in 1900. Photographs will be studied as art objects and historical artifacts. Themes include technological innovations; debates between art photography, commercial photography, and documentary photography; government and private patronage; individual or collective endeavors; original and published […]