New Bedford Whaling Museum Announces Full September Program Lineup
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — August, 2026 —
The New Bedford Whaling Museum (NBWM) has announced a robust slate of programs for September 2026, opening the month on Friday, September 4, with a Topping-Off Ceremony marking a pivotal milestone in the construction of the Museum’s new 20,000-square-foot Welcome and Exhibition Center. The ceremony, held at Candela Cucina restaurant beginning at 10 a.m., will invite attendees to sign the final steel beam before it is lifted into place. Speakers will include NBWM President and CEO Amanda McMullen, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, and Patrick Field, Undersecretary of Economic Foundations for the Executive Office of Economic Development. The new facility is expected to open next summer.
That same evening, the Museum’s popular First Fridays series continues with “Brass, Sass and Serious Fun,” featuring a live performance by The Catnip Junkies Band in the Harbor View Gallery beginning at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m., with full Museum access available throughout the evening. Admission is $12.50 for members and $25 for the general public, with light bites and a cash bar available. The month also brings the Moby-Dick Book Club, a virtual three-part series meeting on the third Tuesday of September, October, and November, offering guided discussions of Herman Melville’s classic novel led by leading Melville scholars.
September’s programming extends into literary, cinematic, and cultural territory as well. On September 10, the Museum hosts a free book discussion of “Nothing More of This Land” by Joseph Lee, the 2026 Massachusetts Great Reads title, with registered participants receiving a complimentary copy and access to a virtual author Q&A on September 29. The 29th Annual Manhattan Short Film Festival comes to NBWM on September 24, uniting over 100,000 film enthusiasts across 400 venues on six continents, with general admission priced at $25. A separate author talk that same day features historian Seth Rockman discussing his work on the material history of American slavery.
Rounding out the month, the Museum celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month on September 30 with a special appearance by award-winning Spanish author and illustrator Manuel Marsol, whose picture book “Ahab and the White Whale” reimagines Melville’s iconic captain for a new generation. Also on September 30, the Museum’s annual Homeschool Day runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering hands-on activities for students ages 4-18 at $10 per student. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in New Bedford and is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For a full schedule and registration information, visit www.whalingmuseum.org.
Sponsored
