Press Release
Free admission weekend offers readings, discussions with experts, and community engagement with Massachusetts Poet Laureate delivering opening line
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is pleased to announce that the 30th annual Moby-Dick Marathon will take place January 2-4, 2026. Since 1997, this beloved mid-winter tradition has honored Herman Melville’s iconic American novel and 1841 departure aboard the whaleship Acushnet.
“Each year, the Moby-Dick Marathon transforms our Museum into a stage for one of the greatest literary adventures ever written,” said Amanda McMullen, President & CEO, New Bedford Whaling Museum. “In its 30th year, the Marathon reminds us that literature lives in community, and that the power of Melville’s prose still resonates with new voices and fresh interpretations.”
The weekend kicks-off on Friday, January 2nd with a Melville Scholars’ Dinner & Lecture at the Museum, featuring Joe Roman, Ph.D., a conservation biologist, marine ecologist, and editor-in-chief of eattheinvaders.org.
The evening begins at 5:15 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by remarks from Amanda McMullen and Roman’s keynote “Whales, Worlds, and the Wild Imagination: Lessons from Melville to Modern Ecology,” at 5:45 p.m., and a buffet dinner at 6:45 p.m. This is the only event requiring tickets, available for purchase at https://www.whalingmuseum.org/program/moby-dick-marathon-2026/, with special pricing for Museum members.
The reading marathon festivities, which are free and open to the public, begin on Saturday, January 3rd at 9:30 a.m. with “Stump the Scholars,” during which attendees can submit trivia questions about Moby-Dick to Melville scholars followed by a reading of the preliminary section of the book, “Extracts,” at 11:25 a.m.
The 25-hour read-a-thon of Moby-Dick will begin at noon on Saturday with Regie Gibson, the inaugural poet laureate for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, delivering the first chapter and iconic opening line, “Call me Ishmael!” at the stern of the Lagoda in the Bourne Building.
Gibson, appointed to represent the state to promote the reading and writing of poetry, is an award-winning poet, author, and performer whose work bridges literature, music, and social commentary. He has performed internationally, consulted for the NEA, and currently teaches at Clark University and Berklee College of Music.
“In a time when we are entreated to turn from each other and retreat into our respective echo-chambers (cultural, religious, and political, etc.), it is more vital than ever to create moments in which we come together and hear ourselves in a common voice,” said Mr. Gibson. “Participating in this reading, for me, is both an act of defiance against the forces urging me to silo myself and others; and, an act of literary community and engaged citizenship. I am here because I need more of these moments.”
After Gibson’s opening, the early passages of the masterpiece will be read in A Whaling Voyage Around the World/Bourne Building (Main Level) and will continue with a variety of guest readers at the Seamen’s Bethel, the Harbor View Gallery, and overnight in the Cook Memorial Theater. It concludes in the Harbor View Gallery on Sunday, January 4th at approximately 1:00 p.m. with the epilogue delivered by McMullen.
Pre-registration for the marathon is encouraged and interested attendees can sign up and learn more at www.whalingmuseum.org/program/ moby-dick-marathon-2026.
In addition to and between chapter readings, several complimentary activities are hosted by the Museum throughout the marathon weekend:
Saturday, January 3rd
9:30 a.m. Stump the Scholars, Cook Memorial Theater. Submit your questions to Melville experts and try to stump them. Special pins for successful stumpers.
11:25 a.m. Moby-Dick Extracts, A Whaling Voyage Around the World/ Bourne Building. Melville Society scholars read selected passages. VIP readers seated near the podium.
12:00 p.m. Start of the 25-Hour Marathon, A Whaling Voyage Around the World/Bourne Building. Begins at the stern of the Lagoda with “Call me Ishmael.” Guest readers continue through Chapter 6.
1:30 p.m. Father Mapple’s Sermon, Seamen’s Bethel and Harbor View Gallery. This portion will occur in person and on livestream. Wristbands are required for in-person seating at the Seamen’s Bethel and will be selected via a lottery system.
1:30 p.m. Portuguese Mini-Marathon, Cook Memorial Theater. Forty-eight readers perform a Portuguese adaptation by Tiago Patricio. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.; reading 2:00-6:00 p.m.
2:10 p.m., Main Marathon Continues, Harbor View Gallery. Marathon reading resumes here after the Seamen’s Bethel reading and continues through the evening.
2:30 p.m., Chat with Melville Scholars, Grimshaw-Gudewicz Reading Room. Informal discussion with scholars in a roundtable setting.
3:00–6:00 p.m., Make Your Mark, Nye Lubricant’s Learning Lab. Craft your own bookmark (drop-in self-guided activity), while supplies last.
4:00-5:00 p.m., Meet & Greet Drop-in Session with Artist Heidi Whitman, Herman Melville Room. Meet the artist behind Ahab’s Head: American Vengeance, Heidi Whitman, and reflect on Captain Ahab’s obsession in Moby-Dick, and ties to American violence and public discourse.
6:30 p.m., Cousin Hosea’s Chowder Hall and Decanter Taproom/Exploring Our Ecosystem, Jacobs Family Gallery. Warm up with complimentary chowder donated by Blount Fine Foods (while supplies last) or explore local food vendors and a cash bar.
7:30 p.m., Midnight on the Forecastle (Chapter 40), Cook Memorial Theater. Live performance by Culture*Park. Seats will be assigned by lottery, like Seamen’s Bethel lottery, due to high demand and limited seating. Lottery registration is available on the Museum’s website and selected audience members will be notified by email prior to the Marathon. If not selected, audiences may view livestream in other areas of the Museum.
8:00 p.m., Marathon reading continues overnight, Cook Memorial Theater. Coffee will be available just outside of the theater for those who spend the night.
Sunday, January 4th
8:00 a.m., The 20th-Hour Treat, Exploring Our Ecosystem/Jacobs Family Galler. Complimentary coffee and malassadas to greet the day (while supplies last), with additional food available for purchase. The Marathon reading moves to Harborview Gallery at this time.
9:30 a.m., Chat with Melville Scholars, Grimshaw-Gudewicz Reading Room. Another opportunity for open conversation with scholars.
1:00 p.m., Marathon Concludes, Harbor View Gallery. The Museum remains open to the public until 4 PM.
Admission is free all-day Saturday and until 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. This year’s Marathon is sponsored by Bank 5, Bay Coast Bank, Fiber Optic Center, Taunton Federal Credit Union, Cape Cod 5 Bank, ERA Real Estate – The Castelo Group, and Eastern Bank Cambridge Trust.
To learn more and for the entire weekend schedule, visit www.whalingmuseum.org/program/moby-dick-marathon-2026.
Anchored in the story of New Bedford’s whaling industry, the Museum documents and shares the diverse stories of this vibrant maritime region and its people, both bygone and current. Founded as the Old Dartmouth Historical Society in 1903, the Museum’s rich history reveals an intimate relationship with the communities it serves. Today, the New Bedford Whaling Museum ignites learning through explorations of art, history, science and culture, rooted in the stories of people, the region and an international seaport. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the leading cultural institution in the region, reaching more than 140,000 visitors in New Bedford and through traveling exhibitions annually.
The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown. The museum is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m., and holds extended hours until 7 p.m. every second Thursday of the month (on AHA! nights), and is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is free for Museum members; adults $23, seniors (65+) $21, youth $13. For more information, visit www.whalingmuseum.org.
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