New Bedford museums capture the city's history as a whaling center and an industrial mill town with a vibrant seaport. These include: Fort Taber Military Museum, Museum of Madeiran Heritage, New Bedford Art Museum, New Bedford Free Public Library Special Collections and Art Room, New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum and the Seamen’s Bethel.
Fort Taber Military Museum
1000 South Rodney French Blvd.
New Bedford, MA 02744
508- 994-3938
www.forttaber.org
Located on the southern tip of the city in Fort Taber Park and operated by the Fort Taber Historical Association, Inc., the museum preserves and interprets New Bedford’s long and rich military history.
Museum of Madeiran Heritage
27 Hope Street
New Bedford, MA 02746
508- 992-6911
www.portuguesefeast.com
This museum displays art and cultural artifacts from the Island of Madeira. The Museum, operated by Clube Madeirense S.S. Sacramento, Inc., sponsors the annual Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, the largest Portuguese feast in the world.
New Bedford Art Museum
608 Pleasant Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-961-3071
www.newbedfordartmuseum.org
Founded in 1996, the NBAM is a private non-profit organization showcasing the work of professional artists from across the region through a wide variety of changing exhibitions and creative educational programs. The museum consists of five galleries and exhibitions that change three times each year.
New Bedford Fire Museum
51 Bedford Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-992-2162
This authentic firehouse was built in 1867 and features a unique collection of fire fighting memorabilia and art dating back to the establishment of the city’s fire brigades of the early 19th Century.
New Bedford Free Public Library Special Collections
Main Library, 613 Pleasant St., City Hall Square
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-991-6275
Established in 1852, the library is the oldest reference center in southeastern Massachusetts. A public repository for local history and art, the library exhibits on a rotating basis a wide variety of art from its large collection of 19th Century art and artifacts including works by John James Audubon, Albert Bierstadt, William Bradford and Albert Pinkham Ryder. The main library also holds the third largest worldwide collection of American whaling materials.
New Bedford Glass Museum
61 Wamsutta St., New Bedford, MA 02740 USA
508-984-1666
www.nbmog.org
New Bedford Whaling Museum
18 Johnny Cake Hill
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-997-0046
www.whalingmuseum.org
The Museum is the largest museum in America devoted to the history of the American whaling industry and its greatest port, New Bedford. It houses the most extensive collection of art, artifacts, and manuscripts pertaining to American whaling in the age of sail - late 18th Century to the early 20th Century - when sailing ships dominated merchant trade and whaling.
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
33 William Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-996-4469
www.nps.gov/nebe
Congress established this urban national park in 1996 to preserve and interpret the story of America's whaling industry during the 19th Century and New Bedford's role in the nation's maritime history. This one-of-a-kind national park incorporates businesses and homes within the bounds of its historic footprint creating a dynamic experience that blends history and the present day.
Ocean Explorium at New Bedford Seaport
174 Union street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-994-5400
www.oceanexplorium.org
The Ocean Explorium located in the magnificent lobby of the former New Bedford Institution for Savings, consists of a series of living aquatic environments, interactive exhibits and numerous outreach initiatives. In conjunction with a comprehensive education program, the Ocean Explorium promotes a broader and deeper understanding of our local waters and the oceans beyond.
Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum
396 County Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-997-1401
www.rjdmuseum.org
The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum is named for the three prominent families who resided at 396 County Street. The house and gardens chronicle 150 years (1834-1981) of economic and social life in the city, as reflected in the lives and stories of those who lived and worked at the property. The museum offers permanent and changing exhibits, lecture series, programs and events.
Schooner Ernestina
Museum & Office: 89 No. Water Street
10 State Pier
P.O. Box 2010
New Bedford, MA 02741
508-992-4900
www.ernestina.org
National Historic Landmark and gift of the Republic of Cape Verde, Schooner Ernestina is the official vessel of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Launched in Essex in 1894 as the Effie M. Morrissey, she sailed as a Grand Banks fishing schooner, far-north Arctic explorer and trans-Atlantic Cape Verdean packet. Her homeport is New Bedford, ship's berth: New Bedford State Pier, Southwest face.
Seamen's Bethel
15 Johnny Cake Hill
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-992-3295
www.portsociety.org
Built in 1832, the Seamen’s Bethel is the “Whalemen’s Chapel” of Melville’s "Moby-Dick", and because of its association for more than 175 years with the old New Bedford whalemen and other sailors who “Go down to the Sea in Ships,” it has become well known in the ports of every ocean on the globe.
Culture*Park
69 Walden Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
774-202-0588
www.culturepark.org
Culture*Park embraces cross-cultural themes and engages the community in projects and playbuilding by developing and performing new works in theater, dance and media.
New Bedford Festival Theater
5 Dover Street #104
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-991-5212
www.nbfestivaltheatre.com
Festival Theatre is a professional performing arts organization offering the excitement, color and spectacle of Broadway musicals in southeastern Massachusetts. This award winning production company has celebrated 20 seasons of performances for over 260,000 theatergoers.
New Bedford Ballet
2343 Purchase St.
New Bedford, MA 02746
508 993-1387
www.newbedfordballet.org
New Bedford Ballet presents dance performances and high level dance training for the people of southeastern Massachusetts.
New Bedford Symphony Orchestra
Box 2053
New Bedford, MA 02741
508-999-6276
www.nbsymphony.org
Founded in 1915, the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (NBSO) is one of the oldest regional orchestras in the United States. Led by Dr. David MacKenzie, whose 30-year career spans the worlds of symphonic music, opera and musical theater, the NBSO is a fully professional orchestra performing the full range of the world’s great classical and new music repertoire.
South Coast Chamber Music Society
Box 29
Marion, MA 02738
508-295-2968
www.southcoastchambermusic.org
The South Coast Chamber Music Society is dedicated to presenting high quality chamber music to Greater New Bedford and the communities of southeastern Massachusetts.
Your Theatre, Inc.
136 Rivet Street
New Bedford, MA 02744
www.yourtheatre.org
Your Theatre, Inc. is a community theater group that produces four to seven shows each season. Striving for the highest excellence, the group draws from the surrounding communities for the best talent, both on stage and off.
The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
684 Purchase Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-997-5664
www.zeiterion.org
The Zeiterion Theater, the city's performing arts center, offers a full calendar of events and features a broad range of the highest caliber of national and international performing artists and programs set in a meticulously restored Vaudeville era theater.
ArtWorks!
384 Acushnet Avenue
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-984-1588
www.artworksforyou.org
ArtWorks! Partners for the Arts and Community, Inc. is a vital community arts center serving the residents of southeastern Massachusetts. Artworks has three galleries, classrooms, a ceramics studio and a teen arts center.
Arthur Moniz Gallery
22 William Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-992-6050
www.arthurmonizgallery.com
This gallery focuses on the works of art depicting natural and rural scenes in graphite and watercolor by Arthur Moniz. The gallery also includes local artisan crafts, antiques and art.
Colo Colo Gallery
29 Centre Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-496-4718
www.luisvillanueva.com
This commercial gallery features contemporary art including painting, sculptures and works on paper.
Crowell’s Fine Art and Custom Framing
382 Acushnet Avenue
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-992-5231
www.crowellsfineart.com
Crowell’s represents artists Diane Cournoyer, Peter Dickison, Kate Levin, Stephen Remick, John Robson and John Vliet.
Gallery 65 on William
65 William Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
www.gallery65onwilliam.com
A cooperative gallery featuring fine art and craft by artists from Greater New Bedford, Boston, and Cape Cod.
Gallery X
169 William Street
New Bedford MA 02740
508-992-2675
www.galleryx.org
Gallery X is a contemporary, cooperative art gallery of visual, performing and literary artist members that promotes cultural outreach through community partnerships, educational programs, and monthly exhibits.
Judith Klein Gallery
98 William Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-965-7396
www.judithkleinart.com
The gallery features a collection of fine art and high-end crafts from South Coast artists.
MUSE Studio
516 Pleasant Street
774. 628. 9445
www.muse-studio.org
Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 5pm
The space is a retail extension of our wholesale line of cards & gifts, also called MUSE, which are also featured in the store, along with a beautiful selection of other cards & stationery, uncommon gifts, jewelry, home decor, vintage treasures and works by local artists.
PARADISE MCFEE GALLERY
106 William Street
508. 965. 3445
www.paradisemcfee.com
Daily 1 - 8pm
TL6 The Gallery
100 William Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-992-8100
TL6 The Gallery is a one-of-a-kind shop, specializing in handmade, unique and custom designs. The consigners who put their work in TL6 are local and regional artists making everything from jewelry and pottery, to handmade t-shirts and knits, to fine art paintings and photography.
Ugly Gallery
246 Union Street
508. 264. 5747
Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 6pm
www.uglygallery.com
Progressive art gallery and boutique.
The University Art Gallery
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
College of Visual and Performing Arts
715 Purchase Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-999-8904
www.umassd.edu/cvpa/universityartgallery
The University Art Gallery features exhibition of local, national and international art. Catalogs, lectures and other educational programming are provided in connection with each exhibition.
New Bedford is home to hundreds of artists who work in a breadth of styles from traditional marine art to edgy, contemporary art. The artists have working studios in historic mills and vintage buildings throughout New Bedford and hold an annual open studios event the first weekend in October. Information and directions may be found at www.newbedfordopenstudios.com.
ArtWorks! Building Art Studios
384 Acushnet Avenue
New Bedford, 02740
Cummings Building Studios
96 William Street, 2nd Floor
New Bedford, 02740
Contact: Alison Wells alisonwe@gmail.com
Cove Street Studios
21 Cove Street
New Bedford, MA, 02744
Contact: Stephen Koharian info@stephenkoharian.com or Emily Diaz Norton enorton@meca.edu
Hatch Street Studios
88 Hatch Street
New Bedford, MA, 02745
Contact: Huguette D. May huguettemay@mac.com
Sawyer Street Studios
419 Sawyer Street
New Bedford, MA 02746
Contact: Shara Porter
contact@sharaporter.com
The Ropeworks
123 Sawyer Street
New Bedford, MA, 02746
Contact: Anne Wolfe anne@123sawtooth.com
Wamsutta Street Studios
1 Wamsutta Street
New Bedford MA, 02740
Contact: David Olsen olsenglass@aol.com |
