New Bedford Whaling Museum Features New ‘Moby Dick’-Inspired Exhibit

A new art exhibit based on the popular novel Moby-Dick is making waves in the Whaling City.

Boston-area artist Heidi Whitman's work has been featured in Boston, Miami, New York and even London. Now, her latest installation is on display at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Ahab’s Head: American Vengeance is the latest installation created by Whitman, aimed to "capture the dread and obsession underlying Herman Melville’s iconic literary work."

READ MORE: New Bedford Whaling Museum Hosts the Most New Bedford Event in the History of New Bedford

The Inspiration

In March of 2020, Whitman, decided to read one chapter of Moby-Dick each day.

"The extraordinary chapter in Moby-Dick, ‘The Whiteness of the Whale,’ particularly inspired this installation," Whitman said.

READ MORE: New Bedford Herman Melville Statue Design and Sculptor Revealed

"The dread and obsession in this great novel of whaling and the ocean echoed how I felt at that time in the pandemic" Whitman added.

When Can We See It?

You can view Whitman's works in the Whaling Museum's Center Street Gallery starting on Saturday, December 13, 2025. It will be on display through May 3, 2026.

READ MORE: New Bedford Residents on What They Love About the Whaling City

"White ropes and string hanging throughout the installation cast shadows on wall drawings depicting fictitious charts of whaling voyages," Whitman said. "A sense of ominousness pervades the mapped space."

The exhibit, with the addition of select soundscape and weaponry from the museum's collection, allows visitors to immerse themselves in Whitman's work.