Youngsters have lengthy been fascinated by pirates, as evidenced by the variety of pirate motion pictures, reveals, rides, and merchandise that exist. However most of those are centered on the mythology of pirates – with issues like buried treasure, hook arms, and strolling the plank taking middle stage.
If you’re as an alternative keen on a enjoyable studying expertise centered on actual pirates, go to the Whydah Pirate Museum, a museum, and attraction for all ages positioned in Yarmouth, MA (on Cape Cod). There, you’ll see the one genuine pirate treasure on this planet and see actual pirate artifacts.
Disclosure: This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks, and a purchase order/click on by way of considered one of these hyperlinks could lead to a fee paid to us for gratis to you. All opinions are my very own. We paid for our personal admission to the Whydah Pirate Museum.
Information to the Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth, MA
What’s the Whydah Pirate Museum?
The Whydah Pirate Museum, which is open year-round, opened in 2016 and is an interactive/science museum and exhibit showcasing the stays of the shipwrecked pirate ship, the Whydah. This ship began as a slave ship and was taken over by pirate captain Sam Bellamy. It was shipwrecked in 1717 off the coast of Wellfleet MA throughout a horrible Noreaster storm.
Within the Eighties, underwater archaeologist explorer Barry Clifford discovered the stays of the ship off the coast of Cape Cod. Restoration of the ship’s stays is ongoing, though there are such a lot of artifacts which have already been discovered and restored. These are on show within the Whydah Pirate Museum for the general public to see.
The Whydah is a superb choice to discover if you’ve had sufficient of the Cape Cod solar or on a chilly or wet Cape Cod day. It’s additionally the proper place to go to within the low season on Cape Cod. Simply take into account that most individuals have the identical thought on wet summer time days, so that you’ll need to purchase tickets upfront.
Entrance to the Whydah Pirate Museum
The museum is open year-round, though hours and days within the low season are restricted. Usually, they’re open on weekends and faculty holidays throughout winter however examine their web site upfront. Timed tickets can be found upfront, and are a good suggestion to ensure admission at a particular time (particularly within the busy season).
Ticket costs differ primarily based on the season. Within the present low season, they’re free for youths 4 and beneath, $13 for youths 5-15, $17 for adults 16-64, and $15 for seniors 65+. An optionally available audio tour can be accessible for an extra charge and might be bought on the entrance of the museum.
What You’ll See on the Whydah Pirate Museum
When you arrive on the pirate museum, you’ll wait within the foyer for an introductory, repeatedly working five-minute video. The video provides some background in regards to the Whydah in addition to details about the restoration of the stays. In that room, you’ll additionally see the ship’s bell.
After the video, you might be free to stroll across the museum at your individual tempo. There are many small rooms with numerous displays, together with some interactive displays. Lots of the displays do have indicators with giant explanations. Whereas I loved leisurely strolling round and studying the entire indicators, youthful children could not.
Regardless of that, you’ll be able to nonetheless study fairly a bit from studying the headlines and looking out on the artifacts. Alternatively, you may buy the audio tour (we didn’t, nonetheless).
The spotlight of the Whydah Pirate Museum is the truth that it provides the world’s solely authenticated pirate treasure. Not solely are you able to see a pirate ship treasure chest stuffed with cash, however there’s additionally an space the place you’ll be able to truly contact a number of of the silver cash.
Different artifacts on show embrace cannons, jewellery, grenades, bones (together with a leg bone!), shells, and extra. The museum does an important job of explaining the story of the Whydah, together with the origins of the ship, the way it was overtaken, and the way it was shipwrecked throughout that fateful New England storm.
However, you’ll additionally study how pirates actually lived, primarily based upon what was identified about their lives from the shipwreck. Myths like buried treasure and “strolling the plank” are dispelled.
On the finish of the museum is a room devoted to the continuing restoration of the Whydah and its artifacts. These displays present how objects are recovered and restored.
What to Anticipate From Your Go to
The museum is positioned proper on the principle street however is a bit offset. So, when driving, search for the big signal by the lengthy driveway. Free parking is offered in entrance of the museum.
There’s a small present store on the entrance, and restrooms can be found. The museum is wheelchair and stroller accessible, though these things are usually not accessible to borrow or lease. There is no such thing as a meals on the museum.
Food and drinks, in addition to images, are usually not permitted within the Whydah Pirate Museum. Nonetheless, there’s a small space by the foyer the place you’ll be able to take images. It’s not an enormous museum, so you need to simply be capable to get by way of it with no need one thing to drink or eat.
General, our go to took about 45 minutes. When you enter the museum, you’ll be able to take your time strolling round. I’d plan on spending about 60 minutes there – extra when you actually need to learn the entire numerous displays. You might also spend extra time when it’s busy, as a result of it’s possible you’ll want to attend for others to learn the displays earlier than you.
The place to Keep for Your Cape Cod Trip
Yarmouth is positioned within the mid-Cape part of Cape Cod and is fairly centrally positioned. In case you aren’t staying in Yarmouth, you may undoubtedly go to for a day journey. There are many trip houses within the space, and a few widespread and well-rated lodges (take into account that some lodges are open seasonally).
Different widespread lodges on Cape Cod embrace Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster and the Sea Crest Seashore Lodge in Falmouth.
The place To Eat Earlier than or After Your Go to
Whereas there isn’t a snack bar or restaurant within the museum, there are many close by eating places in Yarmouth. The closest is Captain Parkers, which is positioned in entrance of the Whydah and is open year-round. Our different favorites, Skipper Chowder Home and Tugboats, are open seasonally.
To study extra in regards to the Whydah Pirate Museum and to buy timed tickets, go to their web site.
In search of extra Cape Cod journey ideas? Click on to see our information with city suggestions, issues to do, eating places, and extra in Cape Cod.
