Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA crewneck sweatshirt for sale at the New Bedford Whaling Museum store is emblazoned with the museum's viral one-star review, Thursday, July 23, 2026, in New Bedford, Mass. (Anna Albrecht/The New Bedford Light via AP) (AP)The New Bedford Whaling Museum has successfully turned a negative 2020 Google review, labelling it the “worst aquarium ever”, into a highly popular merchandise line. The merchandise, which features the one-star review on the back and a whale skeleton on the front, has garnered global attention and significantly boosted sales. Following a segment on CBS Evening News, the museum received 738 online orders for the “worst aquarium” items in under 24 hours, leading to a 250 per cent increase in weekly sales. Emily Roznoy, the museum's visitor experience manager, designed the merchandise after hearing staff jokes about the review and seeing a similar concept used by a restaurant. The museum, which recently installed a small aquarium exhibit, sees the witty merchandise as a way to connect with a broader audience and showcase its engaging, community-focused approach. In fullMuseum’s ‘worst aquarium ever’ merch becomes latest viral must-haveMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Museum goes viral for merchandise featuring bad Google review
Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleA crewneck sweatshirt for sale at the New Bedford Whaling Museum store is emblazoned with the museum's viral one-star review, Thursday, July 23, 2026, in New Bedford, Mass. (Anna Albrecht/The New Bedford Light via AP) (AP)The New Bedford Whaling Museum has successfully turned a negative 2020 Google review, labelling it the “worst aquarium ever”, into a highly popular merchandise line. The merchandise, which features the one-star review on the back and a whale skeleton on the front, has garnered global attention and significantly boosted sales. Following a segment on CBS Evening News, the museum received 738 online orders for the “worst aquarium” items in under 24 hours, leading to a 250 per cent increase in weekly sales. Emily Roznoy, the museum's visitor experience manager, designed the merchandise after hearing staff jokes about the review and seeing a similar concept used by a restaurant. The museum, which recently installed a small aquarium exhibit, sees the witty merchandise as a way to connect with a broader audience and showcase its engaging, community-focused approach. In fullMuseum’s ‘worst aquarium ever’ merch becomes latest viral must-haveMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
