Institute Overview

A Summer Institute for School Teachers in New Bedford, Massachusetts

Organized by the New Bedford Whaling Museum and The Melville Society Cultural Project, Moby-Dick and the World of Whaling in the Digital Age immersed educators in curriculum and provided resources using a unique vantage point from which to examine the world of 19th-century whaling, an energy industry that spanned the globe and relied on an international workforce. Participants traveled to New Bedford, Massachusetts, to build upon the local resources in the city and the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s material artifacts to consider how Melville used the anatomy of whales and the accoutrements of whaling to craft an epic that still resonates with readers today.

Melville’s Moby-Dick, named for the white whale, swims as a literary work at the center of the established canon and one of the most frequently referenced and adapted American novels. This institute encountered the rich worlds of Moby-Dick to help teachers better understand Melville’s masterpiece, appreciate its literary power, and interpret its wonders for their students.

This three-week hybrid institute had two components: June 23-28, 2024 online and July 7-19, 2024 onsite at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts.