Ocean Alliance (Gloucester, MA)

Ocean Alliance
32 Horton St, Gloucester, MA 01930

Date of Service: Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Service: Museum Tour
Cons: No Staff Sighting
Pros: Guided Tour, Harmless to Whales, Hours (9AM – 5PM), Innovation, Technology, Supports Whales, & Worthy Cause

Comment: Before officially incorporated, its founder, the late Dr Roger Payne (1935 – 2023), made a groundbreaking discovery that humpback whales sing complex and rhythmic songs. Songs of the Humpback Whale, remains the best-selling nature recording in history (1970).

Call or email before arriving to ensure staff are available for a guided tour of the facility.

Employees a core team of 9: administrative staff, drone engineers, and scientists. Supplement with a network of dedicated student interns, visiting research partners, and volunteers.

Global “Save the Whales” movement, inspired the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act and the International Whaling Commission’s global moratorium on commercial whaling.

Take photos from across the harbor at sunset for the best lighting of the historic Tarr & Wonson Paint Factory site.

Guided tours of their buildings Monday – Friday from 9AM – 5PM.

Harriet Webster Pier, the long wooden wharf adjacent to the docks offers a unobstructed 360-degree view.

Historic Tarr & Wonson Paint Factory site (Gloucester, MA) is condemned due to interior cooper aroma.

Pioneered SnotBot, a customized drone that flies directly into the blow (exhaled mist) of a surfacing whale collect a wealth of biological data: DNA, microbiomes, pregnancy hormones, and stress hormones.

Regularly host community art shows, educational workshops, public open houses, and sunset harbor yoga.

Renowned whale conservation nonprofit famous for its “SnotBot” drone research.

Thursday evenings from July – August, the site regularly participates in Cape Ann’s “Culture Splash” events, featuring local artist pop-ups, live music, and open-door community hours right on the water.

Tour perk while staying at Ocean Alliance Docks (Gloucester, MA).