Museums, Programs, Historic Sites

The Whaling Museum & Education Center at Cold Spring Harbor

The Whaling Museum & Education Center at Cold Spring Harbor

279 Main Street
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724

(631) 367-3418

Whaling Museum At Cold Spring Harbor

From 1836 to 1862, Cold Spring Harbor on Long Island was a whaling port. This museum was founded to preserve and protect the history and traditions of the whalers, ships, and the equipment they used. The museum’s collection contains a 30-foot whaleboat used during that period and over 6,000 whaling artifacts including whaling equipment, pictures, and figureheads from ships. There is also a 700-piece scrimshaw collection. Films on whales and whaling can be viewed at the museum.

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The museum offers a variety of special programs throughout the year, and it is a resource for schools throughout Long Island who regularly visit for field trips. In addition to special events, some of the museum’s year-round workshops include:

  • Build-a-Boat Workshop, build on the heritage of ship model design as well as artistic expression as visitors imagine and design unique vessels;
  • Making Memories Inspired By The Sea, a bimonthly, craft-based partnership for visitors with dementia;
  • Create! Stations offer activity-based centers with open-ended opportunities to nurture personal expression in all ages;
  • Whales, Ales & Salty Tales, new social evenings for adults that invite the community as energized constituents in art-making, craft brew tasting, food pairings, and musical performances, fostering enjoyment of arts and culture;
  • Historic Walking Tours build awareness of local cultural identity, in partnership with local businesses.

The museum also offers a robust slate of programs to schools and scouts exploring arts and culture in engaging ways.