Whalers Village Museum

The history-oriented museum brings to life Lahaina's whaling era (1825-1860) with hundreds of artifacts, photo murals and interpretive graphics. The story is told through the eyes of an ordinary sailor or "whaleman," and illustrates the challenges of daily life on the sea.

Here, the forecastle of a whaling ship has been recreated, depicting the cramped quarters where 25 men lived for the duration of hazardous voyages, some lasting as long as five years. Other exhibits include antique ornaments and utensils made from whale ivory and bone, and one of the largest scale models of a whaling ship on display anywhere.

The museum also has a prized collection of 19th century scrimshaw — pictures finely carved on whale teeth and bone, then rubbed with ink to bring out the design. Scrimshaw, jewelry, sculptures and a large selection of books are also available in the museum gift shop. Self-guided audio tours in four languages and short videos are available throughout the day