Whaling and Maritime Museums - An Annotated List |
The following is a list of whaling, maritime, and other museums with whaling collections, alphabetical by state and museum. Many includespecial programs for teachers and kids.For whaling, the most significant include the New Bedford Whaling Museum of New Bedford, MA, one of the most important whaling museums in the world, the Nantucket Whaling Museum on Nantucket, MA, and Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. |
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Point Lobos State Reserve and Point Lobos Association 831-624-4909 |
Point Lobos was the location of one a number of shore whaling stations that operated on California's coast in the 19th century. In the 1980s the site was investigated by archeaologists and the results incorporated into exhibits in a building adjoining the old whalers' cabin. I have not been, but look forward to visiting. |
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park |
When American whaling shifted its emphasis from the sperm whale to the Arctic bowhead American whaling interests moved their vessels to San Francisco, making the city the nation’s largest whaling port toward the end of the 19th century. I have not visited, but exhibits include a small whaling collection and related artifacts. |
Santa Barbara Maritime Museum 805-962-8404 |
I have not visited, but the museum includes an exhibit on the history of California shore whaling from 1854 to 1971, when the last modernshore station, owned by the Del Monte Fishing Co, closed atPoint San Pablo on San Francisco Bay |
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Mystic Seaport Visitor Info: 860-572-5315 or 888-973-2767 |
Mystic, Connecticut did send out a few whalers, but is better known today for Mystic Seaport. Established in 1929, Mystic Seaport Museum is one of the nation’s premier maritime museums. The extensive grounds include a recreated maritime village with historic houses, shops, craftsman, etc, a multitude of exhibits on maritime topics in a number of buildings, research library, working shipyard, and a large collection of vessels, many of them active. It was Mystic Seaport that built the recreated Amistad. The star of their collection, however, is the whale ship Charles W. Morgan, built in the Hillman’s shipyard in New Bedford in 1841, the last of an American whaling fleet that once numbered more than 700 vessels. Named for it’s owner, a wealthy New Bedford whaling merchant, the Morgan sailed the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans until retired in 1921. She was rescued by the eccentric Colonel Greene, the son of Hetty Greene, the “Witch of Wall Street” and the richest woman in the world at the time (she was the sole heir to two whaling fortunes), survived the “Hurricane of ‘38” in her birth in Dartmouth, and was rescued again after the death of Colonel Green and brought to Mystic in 1941. She was designated a National Landmark in 1967 and is visited by thousands each year. Along with the Morgan there are whaling exhibits as well as whaling material in the research library. A visit to Mystic is always a pleasure, from talking to a blacksmith while he makes harpoons to going below decks on the Morgan to helping to sing a sea shanty, from taking a quick sail in a catboat on the river to riding in the steamboat. Online resources are extensive, including manuscripts collections, photographs, etc. |
The Old Lighthouse Museum and Stonington Historical
Society 860-535-1440 |
A really lovely little museum housed in the old lighthouse keeper’s house in the beautiful little village of Stonington. Exhibits cover local life and history, from farming to fishing, and include a small but choice array of whaling artifacts. And it’s fun to go up in the little lighthouse and take a look around! |
| Maine | |
Maine Maritime Museum 207-443-1316 |
Housed on the grounds of one of Maine’s greatest shipyards,Percy and Small, with historic shipyard buildings and equipment remaining, this is a wonderful maritime museum with extensive collections on Maine maritime life and commerce. Percy and Small built many of the well-known clipper ships from the end of the sailing era. Exhibits include a number whaling items. Of particular interest is information on local whaling from steam vessels with guns at the very end of the whaling era, something rarely mentioned elsewhere. |
Hawaii |
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Bishop Musuem's 808-599-3810 |
The Hawaii Maritime Center includes a major exhibit on humans and whales, whaling, and the role of whaling and whales in the history of the Hawaiian Islands. I have not been to Hawaii - yet. When I get there I look forward to visiting this and other museums. |
Whalers Village Museum 808-661-4567 |
A small whaling museum with a reconstructed whale ship forecastle, tools and other whaling artifacts, as well as information on whales that live in Hawaiian waters. |
Cape Cod National Seashore 508-255 3421 |
The Visitor Center in Eastham includes a gift shop and walking trails along Nauset Marsh and through the distinctive Cape Cod woods. The exhibit area, though small, has choice artifacts relating to the area, including especially nice examples of scrimshaw and other artifacts belonging to the the whaler Capt. Penniman of Eastham and additional whaling items. There are also artifacts from the Great Island tavern site in Wellfleet. The tavern catered to 18th c. shore whalers who drove blackfish (pilot whales) ashore and tried them out for their oil. There is another visitor center at Provincetown, also worth a visit, with emphasis on the history and natural history of that area and whales themselves can sometimes be seen from the building. Online resources include information for teachers and kids and on local history, culture, and natural history, along with brochures, current news, directions and suggested activities. |
Falmouth Historical Society 508-548-4857 |
The groundsinclude several historic structures with exhibits on local history, fun activities for kids, and a whaling room with whaling exhibits. |
Martha's Vineyard Historical Society 508-627-4441 |
Martha’s Vineyard is one of the oldest whaling localities, with shore whaling from the 17th century. Whaling continued there until Edgartown sent out its last whaler in 1894. The Historical Society Museum is housed in a series of buildings scattered across a beautiful green lawn in Edgartown, including the historic Cooke house, ca.1740. Exhibits include information on all aspects of the very rich and varied history of the island, including whaling, and on site is a whaleboat, Fresnel lens from the Gay Head lighthouse, as well as the extensive research library. See the website for programs for teachers and kids. If you’re interested in Vineyard history, this is the place to start. |
Nantucket Whaling Museum General Info: 508-228-1894 |
Nantucket was America’s foremost whaling port in the 18th century and was only surpassed by New Bedford in the 1830s. The Nantucket Whaling Museum, a former whale oil and candle factory and the first property of the Nantucket Historical Association, was acquired in 1930 with the help of Rev. Edward F. Sanderson, a summer resident, who also donated his whaling collection. Recently renovated and expanded, the museum includes exhibits on whaling and Nantucket history, with whaling equipment, a fully-outfitted whaleboat, sperm whale skeleton, paintings, crafts, etc, including the world’s only surviving whale oil press, still housed in its original location in the factory building. The NHAoffers lots of activities for kids (the museum has a room espeically for kids), an extensive research library, and owns a number of other properties, including a windmill, all of which are open for tours. Nantucket town itself is something of a museum – it’s probably the only place in the United States with so many preserved 18th and early 19th century houses, all of them small and set along charming narrow streets, not to mention the recently restored African Meeting House (owned by the Museum of African American History of Boston, http://www.afroammuseum.org/index.htm). A walk in the town is a treat, as are the museums. The NHA’s online resources are substantial, and include information on NHA properties, articles from Historic Nantucket and searchable databases of manuscripts and the remarkable collection of art and artifacts – with images. Also online is the Eliza Starbuck Barney genealogical record, an essential resource for anyone researching family or history on Nantucket. All in all, another great online resource. |
New Bedford Whaling Museum/Old Dartmouth Historical
Society 508-997-0046 |
New Bedford was the foremost whaling port in the United States and the world in the 19th century. The New Bedford Whaling Museum and Old Dartmouth Historical Society was established in 1903, when whalers were still sailing from New Bedford. The core of the original museum was a half-scale model of the whaling vessel Lagoda. Built and outfitted by craftsmen who built and outfitted real whaling vessels, the Lagoda remains the largest ship model in the world and visitors can still step aboard to walk her deck, stand at the wheel (watch your head!), and peak down into the cabin. Other exhibits include scrimshaw, harpoons, New Bedford, African Americans and Portuguese in whaling, whale skeletons, American and Azorean whaleboats, a great introductory film, a kids area with recreated windlass and mast, etc. When the Kendall Whaling Museum of Sharon, Massachusetts, maintained by the Kendall family, closed, its collection was merged with New Bedford’s, creating the foremost whaling museum and whaling research library in the world. If you have any interest in maritime history, whales, or whaling, this museum is a must. Online resources include information for teachers, online exhibits, articles, bibliographies, and searchable databases of whaling logbooks, research library holdings, and their truly remarkable collections of historic photographs, art and artifacts – all with online images. A great online resource. Also check out the whale craft website which is a resource for understanding the tools of whaling, based largely on the collection of the New BedfordWhaling Museum. |
Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum 508-487-1310 |
Provincetown is another of the earliest and longest lasting of America’s whaling ports. Whaling probably began there with shore whaling in the 17th century and ended only about 1921. Located at the base of the Pilgrim Monument (that’s the famous granite tower you can see from anywhere in town and has a heck of a view if you’re willing to climb the stairs), the museum includes exhibits and artifacts on all of Provincetown history, from pilgrims to resident explorers, theatre and the arts to whaling. The whaling exhibits are a small part of the whole, and include a recreated captain’s cabin, a whale’s jaw bones, models, photos, and equipment. |
Peabody Essex Museum 978-745-9500 |
Whaling material is no longer on display, but includes harpoons, a trypot, mast hoops, models, and whaling equipment, at least some of which came from whaling bark Progress, which had been towed up the St. Lawrence from the Atlantic and displayed as part of the famous 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago (abandoned, the vessel later burned). Salem was an active whaling port before the Civil War. Established in 1799, the Peabody is one of our oldest museums. The Peabody Museum and Essex Institute combined not long ago to form the Peabody Essex Museum, known as “PEM.” With a major expansion designed by architect Moshe Safdie, including a complete Chinese merchant’s house, PEM firmly placed itself on the national level. As Salem is heir to the China trade, it’s not surprising that the museum houses major collections of Asian, Native American, and Oceanic art, in addition to maritime collections and a number of historic properties. PEM is a wonderful museum and Salem, with its historic architecture, history, and the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, makes it worth a visit if you’re in the vicinity of the “Witch City.” |
| New York | |
Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum 631-367-3418 |
This small but dedicated whaling museum opened in 1942, founded with the help of naturalist and scientist Robert Cushman Murphy. Fresh out of school, Murphy sailed aboard the whaling bark Daisy of New Bedford for the Arctic and back in ___ for the Museum of Natural History in New York, collecting specimens of everything along the way. Birds were his specialty and his resulting book on birds of the southern Atlantic is still considered essential today. When the Daisy went out of service, Muprhy acquired one of her boats, which became the core of the little museum. The boat remains, with additional whaling-related exhibits, as well as regularly changing exhibits on other topics. |
East Hampton Marine Museum 631-324-6850 |
One of five properties owned by the East Hampton Historical Association and within ear-shot of the Atlantic, collections include a whaleboat and whaling equipment used by Amagansett shore whalers up to the 20th century, as well as other material related to East Hampton’s maritime heritage. One of those whalers was Everett J. Edwards, coauthor of Whale Off!, about the history of Long Island whaling and those same whalers. |
Long Island Maritime Museum 631-854-4974 |
The museum is said to include whaling exhibits but I'm afraid I have yet to visit - but look forward to getting there some day. |
Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum 631-725-0770 |
This quaint museum is housed in the 1845 home of whaling merchant Benjamin Huntting II, where first floor rooms have artifacts related to all aspects of Sag Harbor and East Hampton history, including a collection of whaling equipment and related artifacts. |
South Street Seaport Museum |
New York City was the19th c. commercial capital of the United States and remains one of our most important ports. South Street, located on the city's historic waterfront, interprets the history of the port and owns several vessels, including the enormous Peking, built in 1911, representing the last generation of sailing ships.Museum collections include whaling items, especially scrimshaw, though few if any are currently on display. Lots of help for families, schools, and educators - see their website. |
| Pennsylvania | |
Independence Seaport Museum 215-413-8655 |
Another major maritime museum with extensive collections on all aspects of maritime life. Collections include a number of whaling items the famous New Bedford whaler Wanderer that ran aground on Cuttyhunk in 1924 but are not currently on display. The museum also sponsored a traveling exhibit, Black Hands, Blue Waters that includes whaling items, travling until March 2009. Lots of programs for kids from pre-kindergarten to adults, including schools, teachers, families, including a specific program on whales and whaling. |
| Virginia | |
Mariner’s Museum |
The museum owns a whaleboat and once included whaling exhibits, but nothing is currently on display. The Mariner's Museum is another of the United States' premier maritime museums with extensive exhibits on all aspects of the maritime history.Newly opened is the Monitor Center, featuring a full-scale replicate of the Civil War ironclad Monitor, as well as atcual parts of the veseel, restored and on display, exhibits on ironclads, etc.Lots of good stuff for kids, families, and educators - see their website. |
| Washington, DC | |
Smithsonian Institution 202-633-1000 |
Closed until fall 2008 for renovations. The renovated museum will include a refurbished gallery on American maritime history called On The Water. Exhibits will include a fully-equipped whaleboat from the Charles W. Morgan, on loan from Mystic Seaport, and a small array of related artifacts from scrimshaw to harpoons, many of which were collected for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia and, by the Bureau of Fisheries for the 1883 International Fisheries Exhibition in London. |
