At 3:00 p.m., the museum’s Volunteer Council will host a “Volunteer and Trustee Remembrance” in the Seamen’s Bethel, located adjacent to the museum on Johnny Cake Hill. Family, friends and associates are invited to join volunteers and the board of trustees as they gather in fond remembrance of departed members.

At 4:00 p.m. the 109th Annual Meeting of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society – New Bedford Whaling Museum takes place in the Cook Memorial Theater and includes a review of the past year’s activities, election of officers, and incoming members of the Board of Trustees, Class of 2015.

Immediately following the Annual Meeting, the 3rd annual graduation ceremony for the graduating apprentices of the New Bedford Whaling Museum Apprentice Program, Class of 2012 will commence in the Theater.

At 5:30 p.m. by an exhibition of new paintings titled Dora Atwater Millikin: New Bedford Harbor Today, opens in the Centre Street Gallery – Level II. A reception in the Jacobs Family Gallery follows the opening.

Mark Leary, Korey Martin and Dana Costa install custom doors and panels made by GNB Voc-Tech carpentry students for “Scrimshaw: Shipboard Art of the Whalers” opening May 13, 2pm.

Building the many and varied display cases needed for the world’s largest scrimshaw exhibit would have been a daunting task were it not for the students of Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School. Voc-Tech’s carpentry classes fabricated more than 29 custom doors and viewing panels for the new gallery, set to open to the public on Mothers Day, Sunday, May 13 at 2:00 p.m.

James Russell, museum president, lauded the students’ work, noting “How great is it that much of what we admire in the museum’s collection was made by master craftsmen! Today, skilled students from Voc-Tech are back at the museum, helping to build exhibits that house these masterpieces – to be enjoyed by New Bedford residents and visitors for years to come.”

The museum’s staff, designers and carpenters worked with GNB Voc-Tech’s coordinator of construction projects, Robert Gomes, and carpentry teacher, Donald Derosiers, on the exacting specifications for the elaborate cabinetry required to exhibit hundreds of rare examples of scrimshaw – the 19th century shipboard art of whalers. Students utilized the school’s state-of-the-art CNC (computer numerical control) milling machinery to create the seamless doorframes and panels.

Master carpenter, Dana Costa, rebuilt and refitted existing museum cases and installed the Voc-Tech components with the assistance of Mark Leary and Korey Martin.

The exhibit opening caps the museum’s 23rd annual Scrimshaw Weekend, May 11-13, which attracts scrimshaw experts, collectors and fans from around the world. Titled Scrimshaw: Shipboard Art of the Whalers, the exhibit is curated Dr. Stuart M. Frank, Senior Curator, with the assistance of museum volunteers John Antones, Richard Donnelly, Michael Gerstein, Vasant Gideon, Judith Lund, Barbara Moss, Sanford Moss, Catherine Reynolds and James Vaccarino.

The largest permanent exhibit of its kind, Scrimshaw: Shipboard Art of the Whalers coincides with the launch of a major new book on scrimshaw, titled Ingenious Contrivances, Curiously Carved: Scrimshaw in the New Bedford Whaling Museum by Dr. Frank – a 400-page reference with more than 700 photographs by Richard Donnelly.

Admission to the Sunday opening of the scrimshaw exhibit and book launch: regular admission rates apply. In honor of Mother’s Day, mothers are admitted free when accompanied by at least one member of her family.

The Stone Fleet, which sailed from New Bedford, Nov. 16, 1861, by Benjamin Russell (1804-1885). It will be one of many images from the Whaling Museum discussed in “The Visual Culture of the Civil War Era.”

Keith Kauppila, Esq. will present an illustrated lecture titled The Visual Culture of the Civil War, on Thursday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m., Cook Memorial Theater, New Bedford Whaling Museum. A reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Jacobs Family Gallery precedes the lecture.

This lecture is part of the 2012 Old Dartmouth Lyceum series, and one of three Civil War related programs being offer by area organizations, including the New Bedford Historical Society, Friends of the New Bedford Free Public Library, New Bedford Civil War Roundtable, and Fort Taber~Fort Rodman Military Museum.

 Mr. Kauppila will discuss perspectives on painting inspired by the “War Between the States.” Several pieces from theWhalingMuseumcollection will be highlighted during this presentation. Mr. Kauppila has a deep interest in the visual and decorative arts and has been active on the museum’s collections committee. He currently serves on the Board of Governors at the Addison Gallery of American Art atPhillipsAcademy.

Other Civil War related programs include:

April 27:  “New Bedford’s Civil War” Professor Earl Mulderink, author of a new book published by Fordham University Press, titled New Bedford’s Civil War will present an illustrated talk on his research on Friday, April 27 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whaling Museum.  This free program is part of a national book tour and includes a book-signing. It is co-sponsored by the New Bedford Historical Society, Friends of the New Bedford Public Library, Fort Taber~Fort Rodman Military Museum, New Bedford Civil War Roundtable, and the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

May 22: “The Day the South Lost the War: The Fall of New Orleans” Historian A. Wilson Greene will present an illustrated lecture titled The Day the South Lost the War: The Fall of New Orleans on Tuesday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the Whaling Museum. This free lecture focuses on the combinedUnion naval and army operation in the spring of 1862 that resulted in the capture of the Confederacy’s largest city and most important port. Presented in association with theNew Bedford Civil War Round Table, Mr. Greene has been Study Leader for more than 40 Smithsonian Institute tours and seminars covering all the major Civil War campaigns and has spoken to more than 100 Civil War Roundtables across the country.

Old Dartmouth Lyceum admission on May 3: $15 members; $20 non-members. For tickets, call (508) 997-0046 Ext. 100. The lectures on April 27 and May 22 are free.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum 2012 Speakers’ Series, of which the Old Dartmouth Lyceum is a part, is presented by BayCoast Bank, and sponsored in part by C.E. Beckman, and Hampton Inn Fairhaven/New Bedford.

Kids visit the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance craft tables during Right Whale Day 2012.

The families arrived early and came in a steady stream between 10a – 2p yesterday for Right Whale Day.  They worked their way through the right whale obstacle course created by our High School Apprentices; created origami and whale tale necklaces with New England Coastal Wildlife staff and tried on the blubber glove to test the insulating capacity of whale blubber. They were greeted by Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society staff as they entered WDCS’s 48ft inflatable right whale and learned important right whale information from NOAA education staff.  Many stayed for some tasty cake topped with a frosted right whale. We wrapped up the day with a 2pm viewing of Ocean Frontiers: The Dawn of a New Era in Ocean Stewardship, a new documentary that highlights four innovative collaborations that have led to increased protection of our ocean resources.

We thank NECWA, WDCS, NOAA, our high school apprentices and WM docents and Facilities staff for their help in making yesterday’s festivities a success.

Young visitors try to 'swim' through the propeller strike obstacle safely.

Rich Wilson

Famed circumnavigator Rich Wilson will give an illustrated talk titled Race France to France, Leave Antarctica to Starboard: An American in the Vendee Globe on Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m., Cook Memorial Theater, New Bedford Whaling Museum. A reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Jacobs Family Gallery precedes the lecture.

Wilson finished ninth in the world renowned Vendée Globe 2008-9 – the solo, non-stop, sailing race around the world.

The Vendée Globe race instructions are simple: “start at Les Sables d’Olonne (France), leave Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) to port, leave Cape Leeuwin (Australia) to port, leave Cape Horn (Chile) to port, leave Antarctica to starboard, finish at Les Sables d’Olonne; 26,000 miles, 100 days, solo, nonstop, without assistance, in 60’ sailboats.”

It wasn’t so simple. Wilson endured broken ribs, a facial gash, compressed vertebrae, hurricane force gales, an ascent up the 90’ mast, crushing fatigue, fear, and gear breakage in braving the course via the Atlantic, Indian and PacificOceans, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn, in his 60’ mono hull Great American III. A dedicated educator, Wilson connected his voyage to 250,000 students and 7 million readers by publication of a 15-part weekly series (written aboard ship) in 50 U.S. Newspapers, and by his website, www.sitesalive.com. Schools in 15 countries participated online.

Admission: $15 members; $20 non-members. For tickets, call (508) 997-0046 Ext. 100.

The 2012 Speakers’ Series is presented by BayCoast Bank, and sponsored in part by C.E. Beckman, and Hampton Inn Fairhaven/New Bedford.

Captain Sean S. Bercaw

Captain of the Amistad, former Naval Officer and Master Mariner, Sean S. Bercaw has sailed over 160,000 nautical miles under sail. He shares the fascinating narrative of sailing the Amistad reproduction, in 2010, into the Cuban waters where the 1839 story – which was the subject of the 1997 Steven Spielberg movie, Amistad – began. The revolt of the Amistad’s African captives, their takeover of the ship and the ensuing court battle is an inspiring human story that, in a case successfully argued by former President John Quincy Adams, culminated in their freedom being granted by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Admission: $15 members; $20 non-members. For tickets, call (508) 997-0046 Ext. 100.

The 2012 lecture series is presented by BayCoast Bank, and sponsored in part by C.E. Beckman, and Hampton Inn Fairhaven/New Bedford.

In making the announcement, museum president James Russell applauded the Jessie Ball duPont Fund for investing in education in New Bedford and for strengthening the museum’s capacity to provide high quality public programs. Sustaining these programs is a top priority for the Museum’s Board of Trustees and Docent Volunteer Corps. He noted that the Museum’s educational mandate can continue without interruption in 2012.

Additionally Mr. Russell noted how gratifying it is that the work of the museum’s educators is getting recognized at a national level. It is a testament to the quality of their programs.

James Lopes, vice president of education and programming, said, “ The duPont grant will allow us to continue our educational mission and to expand access to our programs through the website, utilizing the museum’s vast collections. We restored Paul Cuffe to the forefront of regional history and we foster community-wide reading through popular public programs like the Moby-Dick Marathon with duPont’s help.”

The award provides substantial support to the museum’s youth apprenticeship program, a skills-development and professional work experience program for qualifying high school students in New Bedford that includes paid stipends to students totaling more than $44,000 per year.

Dr. Mary Louise Francis, Superintendent of New Bedford Public Schools, called the museum “an important strategic partner in education and particularly for my school district, noting that it provides “a unique immersive educational experience unparalleled in the region.”

In 2011, the Museum welcomed 3,431 New Bedford students K-12 free of charge from 36 schools and student organizations for standards-based programs in science and history. All New Bedford students will receive free admission to the museum under the grant.

The Museum’s 85 active docents and volunteer corps contributed 23,321 hours – valued at more than $350,000 – to educational programming, student and public tours, community events, exhibitions, research and operations. They welcomed more than 90,000 visitors to the museum last year.

According to the New England Foundation for the Arts CultureCount Database, the museum generates an $8 million impact in cultural economic development for New Bedford. It regularly hosts community meetings and forums on a wide range of public issues and welcomes dignitaries and elected officials, showcasing the city’s illustrious maritime past to business leaders and economic development prospects.

Dr. Stephen Godfrey, Curator of Paleontology, Calvert Marine Museum

Dr. Stephen Godfrey, Curator of Paleontology, Calvert Marine Museum, presents an illustrated lecture, When Whales Walked the Earth: Fossil Whales and Olfactory Evolution on Thursday, March 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Marine science has long assumed that sea creatures like whales have no need of a sense of smell. While this is likely true for some, it is now known not to be the case for extant baleen whales. The discovery of a partial skull of a 50 million-year-old whale sent Dr. Godfrey – one of the foremost researchers on Miocene marine fossils in the country – on an unexpected quest to explain how and why the sense of smell in some whales has evolved but not others.

Dr. Godfrey is the fourth of 12 distinguished speakers scheduled through May 10 – part of the Whaling Museum’s three signature lecture series: the Sailors’ Series, Man and Whales, and the Old Dartmouth Lyceum. Held on Thursday evenings, all programs include a reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Jacobs Family Gallery followed by the lecture at 7:30 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

Admission: $15 members; $20 non-members. For tickets, call (508) 997-0046 Ext. 100.

The 2012 lecture series is presented by BayCoast Bank, and sponsored in part by C.E. Beckman, and Hampton Inn Fairhaven/New Bedford.

Portuguese King João V with Chocolate, dated 1720, courtesy of the Instituto Português dos Museus, Lisbon, Portugal, illustrates the importance of chocolate in the royal courts of Europe. Four lectures by chocolate historians and demonstrations of early American chocolate-making are part of "Valentine's Day II - Chocolate Day," Feb.25 (used with permission).

Mocha Dick is purported to have been a real sperm whale that terrorized whaling crews in the 1830s. Some scholars believe he was the inspiration for Herman Melville’s great white whale, Moby-Dick. Beyond this obscure reference to mocha, is there any connection between 19th century American Whaling and chocolate? It turns out there is. Chocolate will be the subject of Valentine’s Day II – Chocolate Day, with four free public lectures by chocolate experts, demonstrations in colonial chocolate-making and sampling on Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Whaling Museum.

Chocolate became a highly regarded addition to ship’s fare on whaling and merchant vessels according to a recently published book, Chocolate: History Culture and Heritage. Three of the book’s contributing authors will present illustrated lectures and demonstrations on chocolate. Learn where chocolate comes from, how it came to colonial New England, and how cocoa was made in early America.

The day’s activities are sponsored in part by American Heritage Chocolate® – part of the historic division of Mars, Incorporated – which manufactures chocolate products using authentic colonial recipes made only from ingredients available during the 18th century, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, chili pepper, orange and vanilla. To ensure historical accuracy, Mars conducted extensive historical research on chocolate, working with the University of California at Davis. Over 150 researchers and historians from historic sites and universities across the globe contributed to the 1000-page textbook – considered a definitive reference on the history of chocolate and its development as a global industry. Edited by Louis E. Grivetti and Howard-Yana Shapiro, and published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., copies of the book, signed by the authors, will be available at the Museum store. American Heritage Chocolate will also be available for sale.

Timothy D. Walker, Ph.D., will present A History of Chocolate: Where it comes from and how it was made in early New England at 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

Dr. Walker is an Associate Professor of History, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he is also the Fulbright Program Advisor for faculty and students. He has served as Associate Director of the Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture, is a member of the graduate faculty of the Department of Portuguese Studies, and is an Affiliated Researcher of the Centro de História de Além-Mar (CHAM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal. A New Bedford resident, Dr. Walker was recently named a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow.

Christopher Kelly will present: Chocolate at Sea: Use Aboard Whaling and Merchant Ships in the 19th Century, 1:00 p.m. in the theater.

Christopher Kelly is a writer, musician, and filmmaker from southeastern, Massachusetts. A graduate of UMass Dartmouth’s History program, he spent 2006-2007 conducting research on the use of chocolate aboard nineteenth century New Bedford whaling voyages that ultimately culminated in a chapter in the book, Chocolate: History Culture and Heritage. He currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Rodney Snyder will present Chocolate is American History at 2:00 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

Rodney Snyder is the Chocolate History Research Director for The Historic Division of Mars. He has been researching cocoa for Mars, Incorporated for more than 25 years. In his quest to locate the best tasting cocoa beans, he has visited all of the major cocoa growing regions such as West Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and South Asia. After having roasted every type of cocoa, he can identify the origin of cocoa beans by their flavor and aroma. He is the author of From Stone Metates to Steel Mills: The Evolution of Chocolate Manufacture, a chapter included in the book.

Admission is free to Valentine’s Day II – Chocolate Day, which takes place in the Jacobs Family Gallery and the Cook Memorial Theater. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Regular admission rates apply to the Museum galleries. Chocolate Day wraps up a week of school vacation week activities.

"The Whale Beached between Scheveningen and Katwijk, with Elegant Sightseers," by Esaias van den Velde, c.1617, is one of several Dutch Old Master whaling paintings in “Seven Continents, Seven Seas” opening February 9 and will be the subject of a free lecture by Dr. Stuart Frank at 7:30 p.m.

Admission to the opening, lecture and reception is free.

“This year marks the tenth anniversary of the gift of the entire holdings of the former Kendall Whaling Museum to the permanent collection of the New Bedford Whaling Museum. This provides a fitting occasion for showing highlights, reflecting the broad international and chronological compass of our combined collections,” said Dr. Frank.

Dutch Old Master whaling paintings will be represented, along with major British marine paintings of the 18th and 19th centuries by Continental European and American painters. The exhibit also includes visions of Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, representing all seven continents and all seven seas in the selected paintings, watercolors, ship models, Japanese scrolls and sculptural works.

Admission to all museum galleries on AHA! night is buy one, get one free (of equal or lesser value).