Early Portrait Photography in New Bedford
January 16 - September 7
See the faces of 19th-century America in a new special exhibition opening Jan. 16, 2026. “Look Pleasant, Please: Early Portrait Photography in New Bedford,” explores portrait photography in a growing and diverse coastal city.
Images highlight the changing relationship between photographer and sitter in a complex urban economy. Featured works include one of the last known portraits of Frederick Douglass, taken by Black photographer James E. Reed, along with images by immigrant and women photographers building careers in New Bedford.
The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on 19th-century society and consider how people choose to present themselves today.
