New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts

For over 100 years - from the time following the American Revolution to just before the first World War - whaling was a thriving American industry. New England was the primary home to the whaling industry, and New Bedford, Massachusetts was the unquestioned "home port" of the country's whaling fleet.

So it is altogether appropriate that the town that was renowned as "the richest city in the world" at the height of the whaling era is today the site of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, and home to the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

In the years before gasoline-powered engines, America's "oil industry" operated on whale oil. Before electricity, homes were lit by oil lamps and candles - both of which were fueled by whale oil. As a result, New Bedford's large fleet and access to railroads made it the hub of a giant energy industry. But whale oil proved to be a finite resource, and the captains of New Bedford's whaling ships were among the first to warn of the dangers of overhunting.

This delicate balance between man and nature - industry and the environment - is on display at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

The centerpiece of the museum is its grand entry hall. Here, suspended from the ceiling, are the giant skeletons of three whales - a young, 65-foot blue whale plus a female northern right whale and her unborn calf. These dramatic displays convey the enormous power and awesome size of the whales, while at the same time silently speaking to the completeness of their slaughter over the decades.

While these giant skeletons highlight the natural beauty of the whales, other exhibits at the New Bedford Whaling Museum address the economic importance of the whaling industry to New Bedford and the country as a whole. Together, the goal of the museum is to present "the history of human interaction with whales."

The whaling museum is home to the world's largest collection of whaling artifacts. Visitors to the museum can climb aboard the world's largest model ship - a half-scale replica of the whaling bark Lagoda, complete with masts and sails. There's also a full-size replica of a ship's forecastle - the forwardmost section of the quarters below deck.

The museum is just one attraction within the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, which is overseen by the National Park Service. Visitors can also tour the Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum. The Greek Revival style home was built for wealthy whaling merchant William Rotch in 1834 and was at the center of New Bedford business and social circles for decades. In addition, the Seaman's Bethel is a chapel built by and for the whalers and fisherman of the port of New Bedford more than 175 years ago. The Bethel and its chaplain were the basis for Father Mapple the Whaleman's Chapel in Herman Melville's great American novel "Moby Dick" and made memorable in the movie version by Orson Welles.

New Bedford is located on Massachusetts' southern coast, an hour south of Boston and a half-hour east of Providence, Rhode Island. There is a small admission charge for both the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Gardens. National Park Service rangers are on duty daily to answer questions and offer historical perspective at the downtown visitors center for the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.