New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park - Things To Do (U.S. National Park Service)

A blue whale skeleton in the Jacobs Gallery of the New Bedford Whaling Museum

Courtesy of the New Bedford Whaling Museum

A 66-foot blue whale skeleton hangs from the ceiling in the Jacobs gallery of the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Getting Started
Start your visit at the national park visitor center to get a brief orientation, view the park's official orientation film, The City that Lit the World, pick up maps and brochures, view exhibits and plan your day. Take a guided or self-guided tour to learn more about New Bedford's fascinating history, visit our partner institutions, attend special programs and events that take place in the park year round and explore the many shops, restaurants and galleries located in and around the park. Partner sites include the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum, , Waterfront Visitor Center and Schooner Ernestina.

Programs in the Park
The park and its partners offer a wide array of programs and activities year round. The programs and activities highlighted on this site focus on those related to the park's interpretive themes and offered by partners. We invite you to visit our partners and their websites to learn more about other programs and activities taking place in New Bedford.

See "The City that Lit the World" daily at the National Park Visitor Center

The City That Lit the World
The City that Lit the World is the official orientation film for New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. The 22-minute movie introduces visitors to the city's role in the American whaling industry.

The movie is free of charge and shows daily at the top of every hour between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. in July and August (10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. the rest of the year) in the Corson Maritime Learning Center theater. The theater is equipped with an induction loop and assistive listening devices for the hearing impaired, Portuguese translation, and includes a handicap accessible seating area.

Between August 17 and September 25, 2009, catch a sneak peak of Ken Burns' film The National Parks: America's Best Idea. The 12-hour series premieres on PBS on September 27 and runs for six consecutive nights. The five-minute preview will show before The City that Lit the World at regular movie times.