New Bedford Whaling Museum Opens Boundless: The Book as Art Exhibition This October

October programs include a new exhibition, Free Community Day, Moby-Dick Book Club, Fabric Arts Festival, and a virtual author talk

New Bedford, MA — September 2026 — The New Bedford Whaling Museum (NBWM) has announced a full slate of October programs, anchored by the opening of Boundless: The Book as Art, a Free Community Day on October 23, the second installment of the Museum’s Moby-Dick Book Club, and a virtual author talk with Janna Malamud Smith about her new book, When the Island Had Fish.

Boundless: The Book as Art

Opening October 16 and running through February 15, Boundless: The Book as Art draws from the Museum’s collection of more than 20,000 books, spanning nearly 500 years and representing dozens of languages and countries. The collection includes rare folios, first editions, scrolls, scrapbooks, journals, logbooks, and artist books. In the exhibition, historic volumes are placed in conversation with works by contemporary artists including Andrea Dezso (b. 1968), Melanie Mowinski (b. 1970), Anneli Skaar (b. 1969), and Tracey Cockrell, who transform and rethink the idea and format of the book. The juxtaposition creates a dialogue around the boundaries of traditional bookmaking and its relationship to art.

An Art Talk with Adrian R. Tio, whose work will appear in the exhibition, will be held virtually on Friday, October 2. The free program requires registration. Tio has exhibited nationally and regionally in printmaking, drawing, and painting for more than 50 years and is a retired Professor of Fine Arts who has taught at Bowling Green State University, Indiana State University, Northern Illinois University, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He currently maintains Hare of the Dog Press and Studio in New Bedford.

Free Community Day and New Fall Weekend

On Friday, October 23, the Museum will offer free admission for a Community Day sponsored by Museum Trustee Doug Crocker and his wife, Cindy. Visitors can learn more about the Museum’s forthcoming Welcome and Exhibition Center, scheduled to open in summer 2027, and view the construction project from second-floor glass windows. The Community Day is part of the second annual New Fall Weekend, a three-day celebration running October 23 through 25 across New Bedford and Fall River that includes museums, live music, local dining, waterfront attractions, and family activities.

Moby-Dick Book Club

The Moby-Dick Book Club continues with its second and third sessions, meeting virtually on the third Tuesday of October and November from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The series explores Herman Melville’s novel under the guidance of leading Melville scholars, and all readers are welcome regardless of experience with the text.

Author Talk: When the Island Had Fish

On Thursday, October 29, from noon to 1 p.m., author Janna Malamud Smith will give a free virtual talk about her new book, When the Island Had Fish. The book tells the story of Vinalhaven, Maine, a small island community with more than 5,000 years of documented fishing activity, and examines how fishing communities have changed in the face of industrialized fishing, climate change, and environmental degradation. Smith is a writer and psychotherapist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and other publications. Registration is required.

Additional October Programs

The Museum’s First Fridays Indie Music Showcase, subtitled A Moving Feast for the Ears, returns on October 2, featuring five local acts. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the program beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 for members and $25 for the general public. On October 8, the Portuguese and Lusophone-World Lecture Series presents the Fabric Arts Festival Opening Night, a three-part evening of food, film, and music from 6 to 9:30 p.m., with the same ticket pricing.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for members; adults $24, seniors $22, and youth $18. For more information and event registration, visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum.