Pico. Russell & Purrington, A Whaling Voyage 'Round the World, 1848.

Please join us to recognize and honor the Portuguese People and to celebrate their significant contributions to the maritime heritage of New Bedford

September 10, 5:30 p.m.

AZOREAN WHALEMAN GALLERY – Unveiling and Dedication

The Azorean Whaleman Gallery is a gift of the Government of Portugal honoring the Portuguese people and their significant contribution to the maritime heritage of New Bedford.

Whaling in Faial, 1940-1984 – Exhibition of photography from the Azores

Arthur Moniz Retrospective – Celebrating 45 years of painting the South Coast, Ships and the Sea

(The evening’s events are sponsored by Bristol County Savings Bank)

September 24, 5:00 p.m.

COMMUNITIES OF WHALING EXHIBITION – New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park

October 22, 4:00 p.m.

PRESIDENTIAL RECEPTION

The Honorable Carlos Manuel Martins do Vale César, President of the Regional Government of the Azores

Signing of a Protocol between the Azores, New Bedford and San Francisco

Commemoration of the Bourne Building

Re-Launching of the Lagoda

Dedication of the Azorean Arch

Pelo sinal do Espírito Santo – Exhibition of photography from the Azores

Freshen up your walls with custom archival print reproductions of artwork that you fell in love with while at the museum. We invite you to visit the museum store or to browse through the expansive gallery online at 1000Museums.

It’s a familiar story – you visit a museum and you’re so taken with one of the many works of art on display that you want a reproduction to hang in your home.  You search in the museum store and on the Internet, but all you can find (if you are lucky) is a reproduction that is either printed as a poster or in a size that just won’t work for the “the spot” selected in your home or office. Until now.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum has chosen 1000Museums as a partner to supply custom archival print reproductions of the museum’s permanent collection of artworks and historic photographs. The new program offers several options to art and history lovers that weren’t available in the past.

Beginning with a modest 21 images, 1000Museums has established a page on their website that not only displays pertinent information about the museum but also a gallery of the images available for print. From there, the art lover can select an archival print of his or her favorite artwork or photograph. The prints are offered in 4 standard sizes: unframed or framed, starting as low as $19.  Custom Archival Print means that the artwork is produced by an 11-color digital inkjet machine on 100% cotton rag paper that work in concert to produce color that is stunning. Further adding to the uniqueness of the print, no print is offered until a proof has been approved by the museum’s curatorial staff. Once it has been approved, the final product is watermarked in the lower white space with the museum’s logo as a reminder of the artwork’s home collection.

As this program matures, the plan is to grow the initial offering of 21 images into a much larger virtual print gallery containing a significant percentage of the permanent collection.  The prints are offered on an “on-demand” basis, meaning that the print is only produced when an order is placed. This ensures that the customer gets a fresh print with every order.

Ribbon Cutting and Public Reception
Saturday, June 26, 3:00 PM
North Water & Centre Streets

Since its founding in 1903 the Old Dartmouth Historical Society (ODHS) has collected a broad spectrum of materials to document and preserve the history of the region.  Much activity at ODHS has focused on whaling, the primary commercial activity of the region. Yet for over 100 years the New Bedford Whaling Museum/ODHS has continued to actively collect decorative and fine arts associated with New Bedford and the surrounding towns of Fairhaven, Acushnet, Dartmouth, and Westport.

This new Old Dartmouth Historical Society Wattles Family Gallery provides the perfect venue to highlight the fine art treasures from the most prosperous period of the region.  Artwork with a variety of Old Dartmouth connections are displayed.  For example, nationally known masters such as William Bradford (1823-1892) and Albert Pinkham Ryder (1847-1917) were born in Fairhaven and New Bedford respectively.  Albert Bierstadt (1830 – 1902) moved to New Bedford as a young boy.

Old Dartmouth artists and subjects are represented in this sampling of many of the greatest works from our collection.

Bank of Commerce, North Water Street, 1895

The first permanent home of the ODHS was the National Bank of Commerce building.  Constructed in 1883-4 it was purchased in 1906 by the founders of the Society. Typical of an early American museum, a wide variety of collections were displayed from stuffed penguins brought back by whalers to ship models, paintings, and scrimshaw.

Over many years this room evolved into collection storage and staff spaces, unseen by the public.  By peeling back years of alterations we have returned this gallery to the public and featured our Old Dartmouth collections.  Special thanks go to Museum Trustee Gurdon Wattles for recommending grant funding for this project through the New York Community Trust – Wattles Family Charitable Trust Fund.

"Coast of Grand Manan", 1890, Charles Henry Gifford

To re-inaugurate this gallery it is most fitting that our finest artworks are exhibited.  Peruse the diversity and take in the richness of the cultural Treasures of Old Dartmouth.

Gregory J. Galer, Ph.D.
Exhibit Curator, VP Collections & Exhibitions

Keith W. Kauppila
Guest Assistant Exhibit Curator

Frances F. Levin
Chairman, Collections Committee

This video posted to Youtube on May 14th by SouthCoastToday.com.

Today, the Gulf of Mexico is home to an estimated population of 1600 to 1700 sperm whales. Dr. Randall R. Reeves, a biologist with Okapi Wildlife Associates, Quebec, Canada, and an Advisory Curator of the New Bedford Whaling Museum, noted that sperm whales “move through the water column to great depths, and they spend long periods at the surface ‘catching their breath’. Exposure to oil is inevitable, and it is very hard to imagine that such exposure will not be harmful to both the whales directly and to their prey.”

The display, which includes several whaling logbooks and charts from 1836 to 1932, is located in the Jacobs Family Gallery, an admission-free area of the Museum complex.

It is not too late to influence what ends in the exhibit. Which images are your favorites? Join our flickr discussion or comment directly on individual flickr photo pages. One needs to have an account (standard accounts are free) to place comments within flickr. If you’d prefer simply view the photos within flickr and tell us what you think via e-mail to photoresearch@whalingmuseum.org.

Your favorites? Comments Sought.

New Bedford Whaling Museum is fortunate to hold, through gifts of The Standard-Times newspaper, Everett S. Allen, and John D. Wilson, a collection of dry-plate glass negatives that were originally used to illustrate stories in the New Bedford Standard, forerunner to the Standard-Times. The earliest of these negatives were used as part of the nascent halftone printing process, which newspapers used to bring photographs to an increasingly image hungry readership.

This exhibit will examine newsworthy people, events, and places in the New Bedford region during the transitional decades that saw the end of the horse-and-buggy era and the emergence of a modern city.

Beyond its treasure trove of physical objects, paintings, photographs, ship’s logs and sailor’s diaries, the museum is rapidly developing digital resources to help preserve and interpret the region’s rich and colorful past. “We are dedicated to searching for ways to broaden overall access to our collections and to connect to wider audiences.” according to Michael Lapides, who heads the Digital Initiatives Department.

One of these resources involves building a program of oral histories – personal reflections of people who have vivid, colorful memories of social, cultural, and maritime history. New interviews will add to recordings made years and even decades ago.

Through extensive planning and research by library volunteer and archivist Jalien Hollister, over 100 hours of existing oral histories, conducted since the 1960’s were identified and had their catalogued improved to increase accessibility. New processes were defined and implemented so that future oral history recordings will be conducted consistently and help complement existing material.

Joining us on the all-volunteer production and interview teams are Nancy Thornton, Adam Gonsalves, and Sally Brownell. Interviews are conducted as informal conversations, and recorded on professional digital equipment. Plans are to excerpt and cross-reference interview content so information can supplement on-line and physical exhibits, or be used in other programs.

In a recent interview, Roberta Sawyer, a lifetime resident at Round Hill in South Dartmouth, described life at the secluded end of Smith Neck in the 1930’s. Many of her recollections centered on Colonel Green. Roberta talked about how her father landed a small plane on Colonel Green’s farm field at Round Hill, and was asked by Green to establish and run a private airfield on his estate. Besides aviation, Green had sweeping interests in agriculture, science, photography, automobiles, and education. He established a broadcast facility and later built the memorable “martini-glass” satellite dish. He later hosted faculty and students from MIT to conduct research there.

Besides establishing the bark Charles W. Morgan in a special berth at Round Hill, Green built a reproduction of the ship’s tryworks and deck, opening these exhibits to the public. Although his family resided at Round Hill only months of the year, many remember the eccentricities and uniqueness of the Greens, especially their chauffeured limousines.

We welcome suggestions for potential interviewees, and new volunteers to the Oral Histories Project. Please contact Michael Lapides, Photo Curator and Director of Digital Initiatives (mlapides@whalingmuseum.org or 508-997-0046 x131).

For more information on becoming a volunteer call 508 717-6823, or visit our website http://www.whalingmuseum.org/volunteer/index.html

Scrimshaw experts, collectors and fans will come together May 14–16 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum for the 21st annual Scrimshaw Weekend, a three-day international event that has something for everyone, from the curious-minded to the serious collector.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the scrimshaw capital of the world, and the annual Scrimshaw Weekend is the world’s only forum dedicated to the indigenous shipboard art of whalemen. Founded in 1989, this event attracts enthusiasts from four continents, all gathering to share the enjoyment of collecting and researching this beautiful artwork.

New this year is a Scrimshaw & Marine Antiques Show, which will include a Swap Meet & Sale with multiple dealers’ booths showing scrimshaw, marine antiques, books and more on Friday, May 14, from noon until 5 pm.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the scrimshaw capital of the world, and the annual Scrimshaw Weekend is the world’s only forum dedicated to the indigenous shipboard art of whalemen. Founded in 1989, this event attracts enthusiasts from four continents, all gathering to share the enjoyment of collecting and researching this beautiful artwork.

New this year is a Scrimshaw & Marine Antiques Show, which will include a Swap Meet & Sale with multiple dealers’ booths showing scrimshaw, marine antiques, books and more on Friday, May 14, from noon until 5:00 pm.

The Friday evening lecture, “Scrimshaw…Through the Collectors’ Eyes,” will be presented at 8:00 pm by Nina Hellman, marine antiques dealer and author of “A Mariner’s Fancy, The Whaleman’s Art of Scrimshaw.”

On Saturday, May 15, a full schedule of events and activities will include two informative three-hour sessions. The morning session includes talks on “Distinguishing Characteristics of Scrimshaw by the Ceres Artisans,” “The Life and Adventures of the Ceres Scrimshander,” “The Four Ceres Artists Identified,” and “More about the Ceres Artists.” Respectively, speakers include Stuart M. Frank, Ph.D. (New Bedford Whaling Museum), Kenneth R. Martin, Ph.D. (former Director, Kendall Whaling Museum), Donald E. Ridley, P.E. (Volunteer Assistant Curator Emeritus, Kendall Whaling Museum and New Bedford Whaling Museum), and Judith N. Lund (Advisory Curator, New Bedford Whaling Museum).

whale ivory pie crimper

The afternoon session will include a talk by the dean of scrimshaw collectors, Judge Paul E. Vardeman, titled “Recollections of an old time collector and the recent discovery of new artists.” Other presentations include “The Sam McDowell Scrimshaw Collection,” “Recent Adventures and Discoveries at the Forensics Lab,” and a Collectors Market Report. Speakers include Dr. Frank, Richard Donnelly, and Andrew Jacobson. Mr. Donnelly is a long-time volunteer at the New Bedford Whaling Museum and a collaborator on a forthcoming catalogue of the museum’s scrimshaw collection.

A gala banquet on Saturday evening will conclude with two entertaining and informative programs, “Mystery Man of the Fake Susan’s Teeth” (about art fraud) and “Rugs and Floor Coverings on Scrimshaw,” and an ad hoc “Collectors’ Show-and-Tell.”

On Sunday, May 15, an optional fieldtrip will visit important private scrimshaw collections in Newbury and Lincoln, MA. The bus will leave from Fairhaven at 8:00 am, and from New Bedford at 8:15 am, returning by 6:00 pm. The price is $125 and lunch is included.

The fee for Scrimshaw Weekend, including admission to the museum and the Scrimshaw & Marine Antiques Show, scheduled meals, and all plenary sessions is $315 (Museum members $275) prior to May 1st. After May 1st the fee is $370 (Museum members $330). Saturday banquet and evening program is $65.

For the full schedule of events and program updates, please visit the museum website at www.whalingmuseum.org. For logistical information or to register, please contact visitor services at (508) 997-0046, ext 100 or email: frontdesk@whalingmuseum.org

Scrimshaw Weekend is supported in part by Northeast Auctions of Portsmouth, NH, and the Maine Antique Digest, which have generously helped to make this event possible.

The soon to be opened “Old Dartmouth Historical Society Wattles Family Gallery” will be dedicated to the exhibition of fine and decorative arts of the Old Dartmouth region. It is located in one of the original exhibition spaces of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society (ODHS), what was once the main floor of the National Bank of Commerce building located at 35 [37] North Water Street.

In 1906 the ODHS bought the “imposing bank building of brick and brownstone” built in 1883/84 with the generous assistance of Standard Oil magnate Henry Huttleston Rogers (1840-1909), one of the original Board of Trustees members, and under the  auspices of one of the original founders of the ODHS, WilliamWallace Crapo.

The National Bank of Commerce, which went out of business in 1898, was the first bank in New Bedford. It stood at this same location. Its original name was the Bedford Bank (1803-1812) with merchant Thomas Hazard its first president and was originally organized to support the Bedford Marine Insurance Company. The bank was liquidated during the War of 1812 and in 1816 was resurrected under the name of the Bedford Commercial Bank (1816-1864), with George Howland acting as president until his death in 1851. In 1864 it was re-organized as the National Bank of Commerce, Thomas Nye, Jr. president.

In January of 1908 as the ODHS took full possession of the rooms and hung its sign, still there today, over the Water Street entrance. By the 1930’s the room was dedicated to the exhibition of nautical objects including ship models, paintings, prints, scrimshaw and curiosities. By the 1960’s the space had been converted to offices for curator Philip Purrington and whaling/biology scholar David Henderson. At that time library collections were also housed in the space. By the 1990s it had been converted to storage and other behind-the-scenes functionalities necessary for the growing museum. Today the museum is recapturing the elegant space to highlight its local history collections.