The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park encompasses 34 acres across 13 city blocks of downtown New Bedford, preserving the core of what was once the whaling capital of the world. It is a partnership park — the National Park Service manages and interprets the area, but most of the buildings are still privately owned or operated by other institutions. The Visitor Center is in the old Third District Courthouse and is the best starting point for understanding the district's layout and significance.
The park's walking area covers the cobblestone streets and brick-fronted commercial buildings between the harbour and the residential district uphill. Most of the key institutions — the Whaling Museum, the Seamen's Bethel, the Schooner Ernestina, the Rotch-Jones-Duff House — are within the park boundaries. Rangers give free guided walking tours in season. The historic district is authentically preserved rather than theme-parked: the buildings are real, the streets are the original layout, and the working fishing port on the waterfront adds an unscripted layer of continuity to the story.