Retirement Communities
Bring the Wonder of Whales to Your Community
Spark Curiosity and Conversation
Whales have a way of drawing people in. Their size, their stories, and their lives in the ocean spark curiosity and conversation at any age. Our retirement community programs bring those stories directly to your residents — creating an engaging experience they can enjoy together, without ever having to leave the community.
Led by experienced whale naturalists, each program combines real stories from decades on the water with photographs, video, artifacts, and the latest whale science.
Request a DateChoose the Experience That Fits Your Community
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IN-PERSON: Bring the Whale to You
Give residents an up-close experience with our life-size inflatable whale, real whale artifacts, and stories from decades on the water. Led by an experienced whale naturalist, the program invites questions, conversation, and plenty of opportunities to explore.
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VIRTUAL: Meet a Naturalist Live
Connect live with one of our whale naturalists for an interactive journey into the lives of whales. Through photographs, video, firsthand stories, and plenty of Q&A, residents can explore the ocean together without leaving the community.
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ON DEMAND: Explore at Your Own Pace
Our four-part video series brings the stories of Massachusetts whales right to your screen. Watch one episode at a time or create a month-long series that gives residents something new to discover and talk about each week.
Our life-size inflatable whale is 43 feet long, so you’ll need a room large enough to accommodate the whale with additional space for residents to gather comfortably. The whale must be set up indoors—we cannot offer the program outside.
Absolutely! Residents who are mobile enough to enter and move around inside the whale are welcome to go in. We can also accommodate some wheelchairs, depending on the chair and the space available.
Yes! Every group is different, and we’re happy to follow your residents’ interests. Sometimes we even begin by asking what they’re curious about and let their questions guide the program—our naturalists have decades of experience with whales and love seeing where the conversation takes us.
Absolutely! We bring real whale artifacts for residents to see and touch, and our naturalists engage residents with questions throughout the program. We encourage conversation, curiosity, and questions from the group, so every program is a little different.
Four Weeks. Four Whale Adventures.
Explore the world of whales one episode at a time. Each program combines firsthand stories, photographs, and video from decades spent watching and studying whales along the Massachusetts coast.
- Week 1: Inside and Out — Meet Cynde, step inside the whale, and discover whale anatomy.
- Week 2: Let’s Go on a Whale Watch — Head out on the water to meet the whales of Massachusetts.
- Week 3: Meet My Friends — Meet some of Cynde’s favorite humpback whales and discover how we recognize individual whales.
- Week 4: Whales Today — Explore how whales and people share the ocean, how scientists study whales, and what we can do to help protect them.
Bring The Whalemobile to Your Community
What You'll Watch, Week by Week
Four episodes, one story — from Cynde's own beginnings with whales to what protecting them looks like today.
Inside and Out
Cynde will introduce herself and share how she made her way from Indiana to Massachusetts then to a career studying whales and a Guinness World Record. After introducing us to whales, inside and out, she will take us to Gloucester, MA, America's oldest fishing port, and board a whale watch boat to head out to the N. Atlantic.
Let's Go on a Whale Watch
Have you always wanted to go on a whale watch? Now is your chance! This week, we are aboard the Privateer IV learning about what species of whales go to the MA every summer. Where do they come from and why are they here? We will see videos taken from the whale watch boats off the East Coast.
Meet My Friends
Whale watches aren't just about the whales — they are nature trips. What else can you see on a boat? Birds, sharks, fish, and turtles. After we learn about those animals, we will get up close and personal with some of Cynde's favorite humpback whales, many that she has known for over 20 years.
Whales Today
Whales and humans use the oceans today and, in many cases, share the same space and time. Cynde will explore other ways scientists are studying whales, how they are overlapping and what the result is. She will share what is happening at a national level to protect whales and what we can do at an individual level to help protect whales.
Our Programs
Whale Programs That Bring Learning to Life
Immersive experiences that spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and connect students with whales and the ocean.
School Programs
Curriculum-connected programs that bring science to life through whales, ocean ecosystems, and real-world discovery.
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Library Programs
An immersive whale adventure that gets children and families exploring, discovering, and learning together.
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Virtual Programs
Live virtual programs that connect students with whales and the ocean—wherever they live.
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4th Grade Form & Functions
Through four interactive stations, students discover how whales’ internal and external structures help them survive in their ocean environment.
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Retirement Communities
Explore whales through stories, science, and real artifacts in an engaging, interactive experience.
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Summer Library Tour
Our warm-weather stop brings the Whalemobile straight to your library's summer reading program, giving kids a hands-on marine science break between story hours and craft tables. It's a lively, drop-in-friendly way to keep the whole family curious about the ocean all season long.
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