New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
A generous donation from BayCoast Bank pushes the Whaling Museum closer to their goal
BayCoast Bank has awarded $100,000 to the New Bedford Whaling Museum toward the building of its new Educational Center and Research Library planned for the southeast quadrant of the museum campus located along Union and North Water Streets. With groundbreaking planned for 2014, the new center will quadruple the museum’s classroom space and create a state-of-the-art Research Library.
In announcing the grant, co-chairs of the museum’s capital campaign, George B. Mock III and Donald S. Rice said “on behalf of the trustees and all those who have contributed thus far to this landmark project, we heartily thank BayCoast for its generosity and its vision in recognizing the long-term educational opportunities this facility will provide throughout the Whaling Museum’s second century of service.” Mr. Mock is president of Nye Lubricants and serves as first vice chair of the New Bedford Whaling Museum; Mr. Rice is the museum’s assistant treasurer
Nicholas Christ, BayCoast Bank president said “We take our commitment to the communities we serve very seriously and this project represents a strategic investment, one which promises to pay educational dividends to our students for decades to come.”
James Russell, museum president and CEO, noted “This extraordinary award from BayCoast Bank demonstrates its commitment to the community, and in particular, to our youth through its generous support of this unique educational facility. BayCoast leads by example and we hope this commitment motivates other leaders in the business community to join us in helping make educational excellence a primary goal across the region.”
To date donors have contributed 80% ($8.26 million) of the funds needed to meet the $10 million goal for the project, which is designed to increase K-12 through post-graduate educational programs and house the museum archives and collections amounting to 750,000 objects and items. It will create 4 new galleries and an extended observation deck overlooking New Bedford harbor. For more info on the project: http://www.whalingmuseum.org/support/museum-building-project
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world’s most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales, whaling and the cultural history of the region. The cornerstone attraction of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park and a Park partner, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown. Hours of operation, November through March: Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on holiday Mondays. April through October: open daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more info: www.whalingmuseum.org.
New education center and research library
1 Quadruple educational classroom space
2 Dedicate space for the innovative High School Apprenticeship Program
3 Launch a distance-learning program that leverages digitization of the Collection
4 Expand the roof-deck overlooking New Bedford Harbor
5 Beautify Water Street by building on a vacant lot
6 Install climate-control systems throughout the entire Johnny Cake Hill campus
7 Bring all staff and volunteers under one roof
8 Enhance the visitor experience with a cohesive floor-plan
9 Add four new galleries to display more of the Collection
10 Accentuate the profile of the 1916 Bourne Building with a tiered landscaped plaza
11 Gain efficiencies and energy savings by relocating the research library to a modern facility
12 Expand access to the Research Library by consolidating into the Johnny Cake Hill campus.
