Step into the past during February school vacation week at the Whaling Museum.

Families can explore the Lagoda whaling ship, Kid’s Corner, Sailor’s Nook, the interactive sand table, and towering whale skeletons between programs. Themes range from the Revolutionary War and local industry to Cape Verdean culture, early photography, and whaling history.

Activities include butter and candle making, weaving, lacework, scrimshaw, and sun prints. An inflatable whale appears on select days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Multiple-day visits are encouraged. Membership includes free admission and discounted movies.

The Social Justice Book Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.  This month, the conversation is around “The Three Mothers” by Anna Malaika Tubbs.

Discussion centers on the women who raised Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin, and how their strength, care, and guidance helped shape the nation. The book also encourages reflection on motherhood, leadership, and a lasting legacy.

Copies of “The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation” are available at the New Bedford Downtown Library circulation desk. Copies have been set aside with no wait. A one-month rental period is provided for participants.

Korie Ellis will lead a workshop that teaches how natural pigments can hold memory. 

Bouquets that would normally fade are turned into natural dyes. Each participant will dye a cotton bandana using flower pigments. The result is a wearable piece tied to a personal moment. Flowers will be provided to anyone who does not bring their own.

Ellis will explain the basics of natural dyeing. Topics include how pH affects color and why natural fibers matter. The workshop also highlights circular design and reuse.

Fee is $30 for members and $35 for non-members. All materials are provided.

Participants will take home their dyed bandana and care instructions. No experience is required.

Cirque Kalabanté showcases the beauty and artistry of African culture through powerful movement and live music.

Strength, agility, and joy shape Afrique en Cirque, where acrobats perform gravity-defying feats and human pyramids. Contemporary Afro-jazz, percussion, and kora drive the rhythm on stage.

Created by Yamoussa Bangoura, the production draws inspiration from everyday life in Guinea.

Tickets: $29, $39, $49 or $59, plus fees.