New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Herman Melville Family Day celebrates the 193rd birthday of the famed author of “Moby-Dick” at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Saturday, July 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with free children’s activities indoors and out, including a whale of a birthday cake.
The annual celebration features special guests, art, music, poetry, and story reading for children 12 years and younger and takes place in the Jacobs Family Gallery and museum plaza. Regular admission applies to museum galleries.
Children’s arts and crafts activities scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. include creating soap scrimshaw, sailors’ valentines, whale hats, bookmarks and magnets.
Kids can also make their own floatable toy model of Captain Ahab’s ship, Pequod. Wading pools on the plaza will allow young shipwrights to test their vessel’s seaworthiness before they take them home.
At 2:00 p.m. kids of all ages are invited to join in a “Happy Birthday” sing-along and enjoy a slice of birthday cake.
Special activities include: 10 am to 11am, Moby-Dick tour; 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, Harpoon throwing contest; 11 am to 1 pm, Kids’ poetry workshop; 11:30 am, Special reading of Moby-Dick (popup version); 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, Go below deck on the Lagoda; 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, Learn sea chanteys while weighing anchor; 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, Blubber tossing; 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm, Take your photo next to a sperm whale; 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm, Go on a whaling voyage aboard the Lagoda with Captain C. Weade; 1:30 pm, Happy Birthday sing-along and birthday cake.
Regular admission rates apply to programming in the museum galleries, including the Moby-Dick tour, Lagoda Below Deck tour, Weighing Anchor, and Captain C. Weade.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Drawings to win family memberships will be given throughout the day. The Museum Store will also hold a summer tent sale.
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world’s most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales, whaling and the cultural history of the region. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown. For events: www.whalingmuseum.org.
