There’s something fishy about this merch — and people are obsessed.
In 2020, the New Bedford Whaling Museum on the south shore of Massachusetts received a one-star review on Google, calling it the “worst aquarium ever.”
Instead of fighting back, the historical institute — which showcases the history of marine trade in New England — embraced the complaint online, creating a series of memes that went viral.
This month, the museum released a series of hoodies, tees and tote bags that feature the online burn, alongside a one-star graphic and a whale skeleton.
“We do not have live whales here,” said Annelise Conway, the museum’s Chief Engagement Officer. “So we are actually the worst aquarium ever.”
The deadpan whale hoodies have made a big splash, appearing on local news stations and in TikTok videos. Last week, a museum employee wore the “worst aquarium ever” hoodie to an actual local aquarium.
Created in 1903, the New Bedford Whaling Museum teaches visitors about the history of marine life in New England, the merchant economy of the early American ship towns, and the violent practice of slaughtering whales, first for oil and bone and later for sport and cosmetics ingredients like ambergris.
It is estimated that over 90% of the ocean’s whale populations were decimated through the practice of commercial whaling, which was a major engine of the American economy in the 19th century, as captured in books like “Moby Dick,” the 1851 masterpiece by New York native Herman Melville.
Today, the museum explores the function of whales in our current ecosystem, showcases whaling artifacts like scrimshaw and harpoons, and gives gallery space to local artists. Every January, they host a Moby Dick Marathon featuring 24-hour readings, musical performances, art installations and copious amounts of coffee.
But you don’t need to visit the “worst aquarium ever” to wear its merch. New Bedford Whaling Museum hoodies are still available online in sizes small to 2XL for $60 each, though presumably not for long.
And the extra small is sold out, which means if you’re the size of a baby beluga, you’ll have to wait for the next ship to come in.
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