New Bedford Whaling Museum turns bad Google review into viral merchandise win

A museum is cashing in after a one-star Google review calling it the “worst aquarium ever” became an unexpected viral hit.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts, which highlights the history, science and art of whaling rather than marine animals, embraced the one-star review by boldly printing the phrase on T-shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags.

The merchandise has since gone viral on social media — sending sales soaring by 250% in just one week, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

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The now-famous review was posted on Google in 2020 after a visitor mistakenly referred to the museum as an aquarium, writing that it was “the worst aquarium ever.” Rather than ignore the criticism, staff turned it into a merchandise design, featuring the review on the back and a whale skeleton on the front.

“A few weeks ago, we added to the ‘Worst Aquarium Ever’ merchandise line with a new crew neck T-shirt and tote bags,” Amanda McMullen, president & CEO of New Bedford Whaling Museum, told Fox News Digital.

“Since July 20, we have had more than 2,400 orders from all over the globe.”

The shirt pictured above is part of the New Bedford Whaling Museum’s merchandise inspired by the one-star Google review. (Anna Albrecht/The New Bedford Light via AP)

The shirts recently gained national attention after they were featured in multiple news outlets, helping to introduce the museum to an even wider audience.

“We turned a bad review into a T-shirt last fall with a whale skeleton on the front and the review on the back, and this launched in time for our holiday shopping season,” McMullen said. “It was an instant success.”

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Adding to the irony, the museum opened a 250-gallon saltwater tank earlier this year featuring local marine life, including blue crabs, sea stars and northern puffer fish, as part of a partnership with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology.

The unexpected success reflects the institution’s personality, said Annelise Conway, chief engagement officer at the Whaling Museum. 

The New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts, pictured above, showcases the history, science, art and culture of whaling through exhibits that include whale skeletons. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

“There isn’t a strategy to be authentic,” Conway told the AP. “It just sort of happens.”

“It was an instant success.”

“The person who sold you your ticket is the person who is modeling the merchandise,” Conway added.

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The museum’s decision to embrace the joke has also won over social media users, who praised it for turning the review into a marketing success.

“I love it. Kudos to the museum for leaning into the joke and embracing it,” one Reddit user wrote.

The museum’s decision to embrace the joke also earned praise on social media, where users applauded its clever marketing. (Tim Graham/Getty Images; Anna Albrecht/The New Bedford Light via AP)

Another commenter joked, “I think it takes courage to walk into a museum with the word ‘Whaling’ in the name and think, ‘I bet there’s a dolphin show.'”

Others said the museum deserves the newfound attention.

“It’s honestly a great museum,” a user commented. “I love that it’s gone viral because it’s just a wonderful place to support.”

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McMullen said she’s thrilled. “We are filling orders so quickly that hundreds of boxes and packages are heading out every day,” she said. 

“We’ve gotten to know our postal carriers very well,” she added.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.