NANTUCKET MA: The Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) is pleased to offer free admission to the Whaling Museum on Wednesday, May 18, in celebration of International Museum Day. The museum will be open from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Celebrated around the world since 1977, this special day allows museums the opportunity to welcome the public at large and alert them to the challenges museums face in this fast- paced and quickly changing world.
Fully accredited by the American Association of Museums, the NHA was recognized by The Non Profit Times as one of the “50 Best Non Profits to Work For in 2011.” In 2008, renowned travel writer Andrew Harper included the NHA’s Whaling Museum on his list of one of the “10 U.S. Places to See Before You Die.”
We invite you to stop by anytime on May 18 and enjoy the museum; sense the exhilaration of a Nantucket sleigh ride on film, watch the film Bones of History, experience the whaleship Essex gam, and various gallery tours; learn about Nantucket history, decorative arts, scrimshaw, and take part in the numerous interactive hands-on learning opportunities for children twelve and under.
The museum also includes a restored 1847 candle factory —with its original whale-oil beam press (a three-story wooden structure that is the only such artifact surviving anywhere in the world); a 46-foot sperm-whale skeleton; a fully rigged whaleboat; a vast collection of whaling tools; the sixteen-foot Fresnel lens from Sankaty lighthouse; and numerous portraits of whaling captains and their wives. There is truly something for everyone; please join us as we celebrate this unique day in the world of museums.
According to the International Council of Museums, “Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures, and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.” Come see what we’re all about.
