The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor

Cool historical museum on Long Island’s whaling history and more on the topics of seafaring. Mermaids in commercials video was fun to watch. Plenty of street parking on museum’s block.

I was looking for something to do and found this museum. Its small but there is so much information and exhibits to see. I was there probably an hour and a half. The town is beautiful and I decided to walk to a nearby coffee shop and enjoy the fall leaves.

It was a nice little museum. It doesn't take more than an hour to see the whole museum. There are few activities for the kids to do.

Really detailed and well thought out museum, it’s a fun bonus that they have events scheduled on weekends. I went to see the giant kraken sculpture made from ocean trash found on Long Island beaches by the Cindy Roe studio… very eye opening and happy to support the local museum and the concept of reducing the use of plastics. The sculpture was really impressive!!!

The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor is a niche, local museum that focuses on the area's historical origins with the whaling industry. I had no expectations coming into the museum, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It was a lovely experience, and needless to say, I learned a lot about whaling.

Whether it was standing next to the skull of a whale, admiring the plethora of whale bone objects, or reading the stories of the individuals who risked their lives for such an endeavor, this museum did a wonderful job tying in the science, history, and artifacts of the 1800s whaling industry. My favorite aspect of the museum was learning about the women who married whalers, as well as the museum's recognition of African American whalers. When it comes down to it, a great museum is one that tells the best stories and this museum does a great job at that.

If you have kids, this is the perfect place to go! On the left-hand side of the museum, there is an interactive space where you can live the life of a whaler. Throughout the museum there's opportunities to engage with the material, so that's a nice touch.

Some reminders: There is a restroom, and a modest gift shop. There is no designated parking, I just parked across the street of the museum. I also recommend checking out the home of Captain James Wright which is next door, such a cool piece of history. The house was built in 1894 and serves as a space for museum staff now.