The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:
April 13, 2016 — NEW BEDORD, Mass. — The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce its plans to open to the public on Saturday, June 25th with a Grand Opening Celebration. The Center has leased space at 38 Bethel Street in the heart of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. The 3000 square foot, handicap accessible space will accommodate changing exhibits, public programs, school groups, archives, and community gatherings.
“The commercial fishing community deserves a place to preserve and present its stories and artifacts, share its skills and knowledge, and educate the public about its rich traditions, heritage, and contemporary existence. We are excited to provide that opportunity.” Executive Director, Laura Orleans.
The Center’s initial exhibit From Boat to Table will include sections on Gearing Up, At Sea, Sustainability, and Landing the Catch, touching on all aspects of the industry from the time a keel is laid on a vessel to the time the catch is landed and brought to market. The centerpiece of the exhibit will be a wheelhouse complete with demo/simulator navigational equipment. More details including preliminary elevations are available on the Center’s website: www.fishingheritagecenter.org
In addition to providing information about the organization and its programs, the website includes several digital exhibits exploring various aspects of the fishing industry past and present as well as an industry timeline. The website project was funded through grants from Mass Humanities, the Henry H. Crapo Foundation, and the New Bedford Cultural Council. Several local teachers developed standards-based curriculum materials and various community historians contributed to the timeline and accompanying articles.
The June 25th Grand Opening is envisioned as a mini-festival with demonstrations of industry skills such as net mending, dredge making, shucking, and filleting, as well as safety demos, model boat making, fishermen-led walking tours, and hands on kids activities. Fresh local seafood will be available for sale and Center exhibits will be open free of charge during the event.
During 2016 the Center will continue to present Dock-u-mentaries, its monthly film/speaker series and Something Fishy, its free summer camp program presented in collaboration with the National Park and Whaling History Alliance. Weekly cruise ship programs and fishermen-led walking tours will be offered during the summer months. A variety of public programs including author readings, talks, occupational demonstrations, and performances will be presented. The Center is also working in collaboration with MIT Sea Grant, UMass Dartmouth, UMass Boston, and the New Bedford Public Library on a year-long initiative to create a digital archive of fishing community history with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Fishing Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through archives, exhibits, and programs. The Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information visit www.fishingheritagecenter.org.