The Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) has announced plans to expand gallery space within the Whaling Museum, creating new opportunities to showcase the organization’s growing fine-art collections. Construction on the project will begin in January 2026, with the new galleries expected to open to the public in early 2027.

The expansion will build upon the Williams-Forsyth Gallery, originally created in 2019, and introduce the new H.L. Brown, Jr. Family Foundation Gallery. Funding for the project is provided by the H.L. Brown, Jr. Family Foundation, led by past NHA board president Annabelle Fowlkes.

“We are thrilled to be able to support the NHA’s ability to tell the island’s stories,” said Fowlkes. “This additional gallery space will enable the NHA to display a broader array of artifacts in its flagship building for the community and visitors to enjoy.”

Following an analysis of its properties, the NHA determined that the first floor of the Peter Foulger Building—opened in 1971 and incorporated into the Whaling Museum in 2005—was best suited for conversion into additional gallery space. The expansion will feature state-of-the-art climate control, lighting, and technology upgrades, along with universal design principles to ensure accessibility for all visitors.

“This space provides the NHA with much-needed galleries for its growing collections and will be a living reflection of where art, history, and community meet,” said NHA Board President Lucinda Ballard.

The Whaling Museum will begin the expansion during its winter closure period in January 2026 and reopen on February 11, 2026. While the museum will be open, the new art gallery spaces will remain closed for the remainder of the year. During construction, selections from the NHA’s painting collections will be on view on the museum’s second floor and at the Whitney Gallery at the NHA Research Library, located at 7 Fair Street.

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