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The New Bedford Whaling Museum
New Bedford MA
The Modern Fishing Industry
This project started as a view of the Modern Fishing industry, but quickly changed to cover the history of commercial fishing out of New Bedford, MA harbor during the 20th century. This history focused on the changes of the fishing industry by looking at the technology as well as the people.
You entered the exhibit through a 1900's wheel house and finished with a 1990's wheel house which had working SatNav, radar, etc.
The Plan
The budget for this project was very tight as was the available space.
Zone break down
The exhibit was broken down to 3 zones.
1- The history of fishing in New Bedford, the types of fish caught, the types of vessels used and how they worked.
2- The history of the fishing grounds, exploration, conservation, etc., as well as the history and cultures of the people who did the fishing.
3- The modern fishing industry, aquaculture, safety / regulations, the dangers of fishing, and a look at the industries which support modern fishing.
Display development and design
Each of the 30 display areas (walls, free standing panels, kiosks, and enclosures) were laid out on individual sheets which included inventory lists, display text, etc.
Entrance to the exhibit
Photo of the dedication / overview panel.
Wall panel as built
Layout of photos, etc. explaining the history of the Port of New Bedford.
Free Standing Panel as built
Example of a free standing panel used for display as well as traffic management. This one reviews the local shipbuilding in New Bedford.
Modern Steering House as Built
Negotiations with a local ship builder yielded an actual modern steering house. Local suppliers then furnished it with working radar, SatNav, radios, and fish finder equipment. This contrasted the 1900's wheel house replica (entrance) which had only a compass and paper charts.
Outside the steering house was the donated safety and survival gear.
