To learn about each of the park's eight interpretive themes click on the links below.

• New Bedford’s geographic location influenced its development into the world’s foremost whaling port in the nineteenth century. More

• Whales provided important and valuable products, and the hunt for them fostered the development of highly specialized technologies and supported the economic base of New Bedford and the nation. More

• The nature of a whaling voyage, requiring long separation from home and family, contributed to the development of unique cultures on shipboard and ashore. More

• In pursuit of whales, New Bedford's fleet traveled the world's oceans and brought large numbers of Americans into contact with other cultures; in the process, the whaling fleet introduced materials, technology, plants, animals, and diseases, which led to profound changes in the cultures and their environments. More

• In the critical century following America's independence, when scientific institutions were being founded and U.S. policy was being formed, information and artifacts collected by whalemen greatly expanded America's knowledge of the world. More

• Whale hunting led to a decline in whale populations worldwide. Some species were endangered as a result of the hunt. More

• Whaling had an impact on the American imagination and influenced American literature, painting, fashion, and folk art. In New Bedford the whaling economy financed homes, businesses, and public buildings, and influenced the local architecture and landscape. More

• New Bedford today reflects its heritage as the 19th century whaling capital of the world. Many of the communities that participated in the whaling industry continue to contribute to the cultural fabric of the city. The descendents of those who first came to New Bedford aboard local whaleships developed thriving communities, which have collectively grown to become a major cultural and political force in the region. More