Interested in volunteering with the Fishing Heritage Center? Join the crew! From 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 7th, prospective volunteers are invited to attend an orientation session. The session will include an overview of the mission and activities of the Center as well as an introduction to the commercial fishing industry. Light refreshments will be provided.
In the coming months, volunteers will have opportunities to participate in insider tours to learn first-hand about the commercial fishing industry, along with periodic talks presented by industry experts.
Volunteer opportunities include welcoming visitors, staffing the reception area and gift shop, engaging visitors with the exhibits, assisting with educational programs, and helping with special events. Additionally, volunteers may assist the Center in doing historical research and maintaining a growing archive of photographs and documents. Training is provided.
For those with a fishing industry connection, there are opportunities to share your knowledge with visitors by leading walking tours, speaking to school groups, and demonstrating skills such as net mending, knot tying, or model boat making, etc.
Volunteers are needed during Center operating hours (Thursday-Sunday 10-4) and for occasional evening programs and special events. Volunteer hours are flexible and can be scheduled according to individual availability and particular areas of interest.
For more information please contact the Fishing Heritage Center at: operations@fishingheritagecenter.org or call (508) 993-8894.
Break out your boards and sign up now for our Cribbage Tournament! This will be a points-based tournament, so those who score the most points will win gift cards to Oxford Creamery and the Fishing Heritage Center gift shop — plus bragging rights! Chowder will be provided by Oxford Creamery.
Reserve your spot for free using the Brown Paper Tickets link or by calling the Center at 508-993-8894.
Matthew Byrne is a traditional singer, storyteller, & guitarist from Newfoundland. Storytelling through song is a fundamental duty of traditional music and Matthew Byrne does this brilliantly. His repertoire has been shaped by his musical upbringing and Byrne supports this tradition with powerful vocals, polished guitar work, and a presence that fills the room.
Tickets are $12/Members, $15/General Public. Buy your tickets at the Brown Paper Tickets link or by calling the Center at 508-993-8894.
Mary Stanley, known as Fish Mary, was a figure on the New Bedford waterfront and the only female lumper in the 1950s and 1960s. Members of Fish Mary’s family and lumpers and fishermen who worked with her will share stories of her life and work.
This program takes place on AHA! Night and is free and open to the public.
Join us (virtually!) on Thursday, April 9th for an illustrated talk by photographer Phil Mello. Phil has worked on the New Bedford waterfront for 40+ years and has been taking photographs of waterfront fellow workers since 1975. As an insider with direct knowledge of the fishing industry, he has access to what is often a closed community. Phil will share photos and stories about the working waterfront.
Join our Zoom webinar to hear and see Phil’s presentation by clicking here.
This program takes place on April’s virtual AHA! Night. Learn more by visiting the AHA! website.
On Thursday, May 14th, the Fishing Heritage Center will launch our latest exhibit, “We Came to Fish, We Came to Work: Stories of Immigration,” with a concert celebrating cultural traditions. Join us at 7:00pm via Facebook Live for a virtual concert featuring local musicians Ana Vinagre, Candida Rose, and Johan Gundersen who will present songs from and about Portugal, Cape Verde, and Norway. This event takes place on May’s Virtual AHA! Night. Click here to visit our Facebook page.
“We Came to Fish, We Came to Work: Stories of Immigration” explores stories of immigration and cultural heritage on New Bedford’s working waterfront. Over the next 8 months, we will look at cultural heritage through a variety of programs including film screenings, cooking and craft demos, performances, and talks, which will be offered virtually until we are able to re-open the Center.
The Center’s 2020 exhibits and programs are funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Creative Commonwealth Initiative, and the Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, and New Bedford Cultural Councils.
Join us (virtually!) at 7:30pm on Friday, May 15th for a discussion of our May Dock-u-mentary film, “Big Dreams from Karmøy to Hawaii: The Kaare Ness Story.” Click this link to connect to our Zoom call at 7:30pm for a discussion of the film: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82520526288?pwd=RmdsQXF2U0FpOXpjeFdCSGhUR0dvQT09; Password is 737244
Click this link to watch Big Dreams from Karmøy to Hawaii: The Kaare Ness Story on Youtube anytime before the discussion at 7:30pm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qhrSGT1Akg&t=4s
Thank you to BankFive for their support of our Dock-u-mentaries Film Series.
Tune into Facebook Live for an illustrated talk on Portuguese immigration and the Portuguese fishing experience featuring Gloria deSa, Peter Pereira, and Ron Fortier. Learn about fishing in Portugal as well as about the Portuguese community in New Bedford today.
This talk is a part of our series of programs related to our latest exhibit, “We Came to Fish, We Came to Work: Stories of Immigration.” This exhibits explores stories of immigration and cultural heritage on New Bedford’s working waterfront. Over the next 8 months, we will look at cultural heritage through a variety of programs including film screenings, cooking and craft demos, performances, and talks, which will be offered virtually until we are able to re-open the Center.
The Center’s 2020 exhibits and programs are funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Creative Commonwealth Initiative, and the Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, and New Bedford Cultural Councils.
Tune into the Center’s Facebook Live for a discussion with local cookbook authors Maria Lawton and Milena Rodrigues about Portuguese foodways and traditions. Food is an integral part of cultural heritage! Learn about the traditions of Portuguese cooking as well as about Maria’s and Milena’s work to uphold this cultural heritage! Visit our Facebook page by clicking here.
Find Maria on Facebook at Maria Lawton – The Azorean Green Bean. Find Milena on Facebook at For the Love of Portuguese Food / Milena Rodrigues
This program is part of a series based on the Center’s latest exhibit, “We Came to Fish, We Came to Work: Stories of Immigration.” Over the next 8 months, we will look at cultural heritage through a variety of programs including film screenings, cooking and craft demos, performances, and talks, which will be offered virtually until we are able to re-open the Center.
The Center’s 2020 exhibits and programs are funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Creative Commonwealth Initiative, and the Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, and New Bedford Cultural Councils.