Day Tripping: NB Whaling Musuem, Seamen’s Bethel

By Beth David, Editor

New Bedford is just a hop over the river to our west from our digs here in Fairhaven, so calling a visit there a “Day Trip” instead of a half-day jaunt, might seem kind of silly. But, if the New Bedford Whaling Museum is the destination, the equation changes. 

You could go every day, all day, for a month and you would still have more to see.

“It’s educational, it’s contem­porary,” said my friend Pam, one of my two companions.

“And they make it fun,” said Tori.

The internationally known gem that sits on top of Johnny Cake Hill, is absolutely jam-packed with exhibits, events, happenings, and fun stuff to do for all ages. 

On the particular rainy Saturday that we chose, children (and adults, I guess) could paint with watercolors and do other crafty types of stuff.

At one point in our travels through­out the museum, two young girls (8-10’sh?) excitedly ran in front of us and headed to a wall, exclaiming, “There’s one!”

They had a sheet with pictures of different kinds of whales in different colors. The explained that they had to find all the whales on the sheet and mark them with a check when they found them. Then…they were off in a flash to find the next one. 

I got kind of lost in the permanent exhibit, “The City That Lit the World,” about New Bedford’s connection to and prominence in the whole world supplying products from whales, especially the oil that lit lamps. Meanwhile, my friends took their pictures near the New Bedford Portraits exhibit.

Matt and Lindsey, from Willi­mantic, CT, were on a day trip visiting the museum for the first time. Matt thought it would be a good birthday gift for Lindsey.

“I love it,” said Lindsey. 

Both said they loved the trading post and ship made of beef bones.

Lindsey said she had joined the Moby-Dick marathon remotely a few years ago. 

“It’s very much up my alley,” she said. “It’s a great birthday present.”

The two planned to find a place to eat, and visit a brewery….the Moby-Dick Brewery, of course..

They both said they would recom­mend the Whaling Museum to others.

“Wholeheartedly,” said Lindsey.’

Adam Machson-Carter was keeping an eye on his daughter, Margo, as they inspected every inch of the Lagoda, a half-scale model of a whaling ship. He said it was their first time at the museum, and they drove in from the Boston area. 

“We were looking for things to do on a rainy day,” said Mr. Machson-Carter, adding that the Whaling National Historical Park made for a “fun exploring day.”

He and his wife and two children planned on getting lunch downtown.

Would he recommend it to others?

“Yeah, especially on a rainy day,” he said. “It’s a great place to go inside and get curious.”

As for Margo, she simply said: “It’s awesome!”

My friend, Pam, took the train from Boston. She said it was not a bad walk from the train, however, Pam walks a lot…really a lot, so I recommend that people do their homework. She went by way of the commuter overpass and walked along Purchase Street, finding Walgreen’s for a much-needed pit stop, and options for coffee downtown. 

Pam regularly takes advantage of the commuter rail’s weekend special rates to visit museums in different cities. 

“This is a great gift shop,” she said, when we first got inside.

She was very excited to find a hoodie with the now famous “Worst Aquarium ever” quote on it.

The quote comes from a bad Google review the museum got, which gave everyone who works there and volunteers there a good laugh. So, they made swag out of it.

In addition to the rich and plentiful exhibits, we made a point of going upstairs to the observation deck.

All three of us marveled at the view of New Bedford Harbor, with Fairhaven’s iconic historic buildings on the other side of the river.

Seamen’s Bethel and the Melville Statue

Now, Pam has been regularly visiting New Bedford ever since the train finally got here. But, somehow, we’d go to lunch and then…poof… time was up. But after seeing some stories about the new Herman Melville statue at the Seamen’s Bethel, we finally got focused. 

The Seamen’s Bethel chapel has been a “beacon of solace and remembrance for generations of

mariners,” reads its website. It is truly nondenominational, and totally free and open to the public, making it a genuinely welcoming place for all who need a quiet place to sit.

Melville wrote about the Bethel in Moby-Dick, and it was the site of the famous speech by Father. Mapple. The pulpit as described by Melville, the prow of a ship, has been recreated in the chapel. 

Inside, the numerous cenotaphs, with the etched names of all those lost at sea from New Bedford ships, provided somber context for some of the exhibits showing small boats chasing whales with tails bigger than the vessels used to kill them.

They also have a gift shop with lots of new pieces featuring the new Melville statue installed on their front lawn. Pam bought something with the statue on it, and I got a cookbook. So keep an eye on page 10 for some recipes from the Seamen’s Bethel collection. 

We ate at the National Club on lower Union Street, a sentence I never thought I would even think, never mind put in writing about showing my friends a little bit of New Bedford. 

The food was very good, and we got to sit in the patio section that is enclosed in plastic to keep out the wind, but still provide lots of sunlight near the working waterfront.

If You Go

The museum, located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA 02740, is currently undergoing renovations to the front entrance. The temporary entrance is accessible. 

Hours: Mon.–Sun., 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Thanks­giving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day. The website has directions and parking information (link below).

Cost: Museum and 3D Movie: $28 for adults, $26/seniors 65+, $18/ Youth, $4 members; Museum only is free for museum members, and $24/adults, $22/seniors 65+, $14 youth. Membership is $65/individual adult ($60 for New Bedford resi­dents), with discounts for students/ teachers, families, and different levels that include access to other museums. Members get unlimited visits and a 10% discount in the museum store.

Visit www.WhalingMuseum.org; for more on the museum, and www .nbportsociety.org for the Seamen’s Bethel. 

Museum Special

Kick off Labor Day Weekend at the New Bedford Whaling Museum at their September First Fridays, Brass Sass and Serious Fun! on September 4. The Catnip Junkies bring genre-defying, New Orleans–style grooves with a playful, party-ready vibe. 

Enjoy access to the full museum before the show. Doors open at 5 PM with the New Orleans-style grooves of the Catnip Junkies. Tickets: $25 pp; $12.50 for museum members. 

First Fridays at the Whaling Museum feature a lively evening of music, art, and community. Enjoy a cash bar and light complimentary bites while you take in the performance and explore the museum’s galleries.

 

 

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