Museu dos Baleeiros

In the old boat sheds beside the harbour of Lajes do Pico, the Museu dos Baleeiros keeps the memory of the Azores’ whaling era. Boats, harpoons and photographs tell the story of the men who hunted whales from open boats, and of the industry that shaped island life for more than a century.

The whaling years

Whaling reached the Azores from the United States in the nineteenth century and became, over the following decades, one of the islands’ defining activities. Boats were launched directly from the shore, and lookouts watched the sea from the heights above the villages. The hunt ended in the 1980s, and the same waters now draw visitors for whale and dolphin watching.

What to see

• Whaling boats and the equipment used to launch and recover them.
• Harpoons, lances and tools of the trade.
• Scrimshaw and objects carved by whalers at sea.
• Photographs and documents of the whaling communities of Pico.

Visiting the museum

The museum is at Rua dos Baleeiros 13, 9930-143 Lajes do Pico, on the island of Pico. It is one of the nuclei of the regional Museu do Pico. Opening hours are published on the official website, so check before your visit.

Visitor information: museu-pico.azores.gov.pt.

Image credit: Museu dos Baleeiros, Lajes do Pico, by Acfmagalhaes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.