The Summer of Scrimshaw! Learn more about scrimshaw during our major summer exhibition “The Wider World & Scrimshaw.” Opening June 14, explore over 300 carved items, including from Indigenous communities across the Pacific and the Arctic. See how these belongings tell stories of exploration, resilience, and cultural exchanges. .#Newbedford #museum #scrimshaw #history #art #culture #whaling #maritime #ocean #ivory #carvings #exhibition #contemporary #summer | New Bedford Whaling Museum

During long voyages when they were not pursuing whales, the whalers often turned to scrimshaw as a way to pass the time. The art form involved engraving images, some very detailed, on whale teeth or bone, not a simple endeavor on a tossing ship. The results were often spectacular. This clip from the NHA’s Art of Scrimshaw Online Workshop gives you a quick tour through the process of making your own scrimshaw medallion. To learn the detailed techniques of this sailors’ art including a kit using m