Have you looked closely at New Bedford's familiar landmarks? Come spend a day in the city, see the beauty within and learn more about it's treasures...

Any day of the week you can stop in at New Bedford's world famous Whaling Museum and take a seat in its uniquely maritime theater to view "The City That Lit the World”.  This FREE 20 minute movie is the official National Park Service orientation film for New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.  It is shown every hour, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and provides a great glimpse into the city’s rich history. After watching the film, a stroll in the museum or around the National Park has renewed context.

When in the Whaling Museum one is already in The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, just up the street and west of the Whaling Museum, is the only national park site dedicated to preserving and interpreting America's nineteenth century whaling story. In Herman Melville's epic novel Moby-Dick he describes New Bedford as "perhaps the dearest place to live in, in all New England." Our downtown National Historical Park is just that. This Park is the only of its kind encompassing historical sights, current-day businesses and residential buildings. It is this mix that gives the downtown core a dynamic “old meets new” spirit. As you walk the Park’s xx city blocks (essentially the core of downtown), look for the illustrated wayside signs explaining the history and context.

Architectural treasures within New Bedford's National Historic Park include the U.S. Custom House, the oldest continuously operating Custom House in the nation. The building features four large granite columns and a grand Classical portico. The building was designed by Robert Mills, the architect of the Washington Monument.

A short stroll up the street and you'll find the historic neoclassical brick and brownstone building that houses New Bedford's City Hall.  Inside this historic gem, you can find the oldest operating elevator in the country, which was installed in 1906. Both the city offices and the public library were once housed in this building that still operates as the seat of city government.

There are so many other architectural and historical treasures here. Stop in at the National Historical Park Visitor’s center for the Brochures and Self-Guided Walking Maps.  Come look around.  Take a closer look. Discover for yourself the treasures within! 

AHA! (Art, History & Architecture)

AHA! presents 2nd Thursday year-round FREE nights of Art, History & Architecture programs in Downtown New Bedford with 37-venue partners.

Call us at 508-264-8859 or visit us at www.ahanewbedford.org.

The AHA! Project was formed in 1999 by a dedicated circle of cultural leaders, downtown businesses and individual artists. Since July of that year, the project has continuously presented its 2nd Thursday events. What originally included 14 venues now numbers 37 and spans eight galleries, three museums, The National Historical Park, City Hall and The Library, many of the downtown’s unique stores, restaurants and cafes as well as individual artist studios, a meditation center, several churches, The Bristol Building, The New Bedford Preservation Society and The UMass Dartmouth CVPA Star Store.  AHA!’s mission is to collectively promote downtown culture and work towards greater sustainability of the downtown cultural scene and partner organizations.

AHA!’s articles on http://newbedford360.com are part of an expanding effort to bring more attention to the wealth of cultural events and experiences happening in downtown New Bedford.

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