The Cape Cod Museum Trail
By Mary Moran
Aptucxet Trading Post Windmill
Talk about convenience, if you are planning a Cape Cod vacation and are interested in history, science and/or art, your new ‘one‐stop shop’ will be on the Cape Cod Museum Trail (link). This new and innovative website was formed in 2014 and gives you an easy way to plan your day trips to all corners of the Cape. The website is an interactive virtual tour of all the museums and is available on any ‘smart phone’, tablet, or computer. While you are staying at the Palmer House Inn your day trips to many other Cape Cod towns can include a visit to the local museums. In addition to finding general information without having to leave the home page, one can get a constantly updated calendar of upcoming events, classes and activities that are offered at each of the members’ locations. There is also a gallery of photos and videos, in addition, there are stories and tours of each of the thirty-two museums on the trail.
The Cape Cod Museum Trail was created by the museum directors who wanted to share and promote their priceless resources. Their goal is to inspire and educate visitors of all ages and walks of life. The trail is sponsored by First Union Credit Union.
New members are added monthly. They continue to contribute to the amazing fun and educational resources available on the trail. One can also subscribe to the trail’s informative email newsletter. What a great way to plan your visit using the the Palmer House Inn as the hub for your travels.
Cape Cod Museum Trail member museums are:
- John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, 397 Main Street, Hyannis, Ma 02601 www.jfkhyannismuseum.org
- Calib Nickerson House in Chatham, 1107 Orleans Road, Chatham, MA 12633 www.nickersonassoc.com
- Chatham Railroad Museum, 153 depot Road, Chatham, MA 02633 www.chathamrailroadmuseum.com
- Captain Bangs Hallet Museum and Barn, 11 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouthport, MA 02675 www.hsoy.org
- 1736 Josiah Dennis Manse, 77 Nobscusset Road, Dennis, MA 02638 http://www.dennishistsoc.org/Museums/Museums-02-Josiah.html
- Falmouth Museums on the Green, 55 &65 Palmer Avenue, Falmouth, MA 02540
- Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown, 1 High Pole Hill Road, Provincetown, MA 02657 www.pilgrim-monument.org
- Cape Cod Museum of Art, 60 Hope Lane, Dennis, MA 02638 www.ccmoa.org
-
Aptucxet Trading Post Sign
Aptucxet Trading Post Museum, 24 Aptucxet Road, Bourne, MA 02532 www.bournehistoricalsociety.org
- French Cable Station Museum, 41 orleans Road, Orleans, MA 02653 www.frenchcablestationmuseum.org
- Cape Cod Baseball Hall of Fame, 397 Mail Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 www.capecodbaseball.org/
- Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, 869 Main Street, Brewster, MA 02631 www.ccmnh.org
- Old Harbor Life Saving Station Museum, Race Point Beach, Provincetown, MA 02657 www.nps.gov
- Atwood House Museum, 347 Stage Harbor Road, Chatham, MA 02633 www.chathamhistoricalsociety.org
- Sandwich Glass Museum, 129 Main Street, Sandwich, MA 02563 www.sandwichglassmuseum.org
- Chatham Marconi- RCA Wireless Museum, 847 Orleans Road, Chatham, MA 02650 www.chathammarconi.org/
- Long Pasture Wild Life Sanctuary and Living, 345 Bore Hill Road, Brewster, MA 02637 www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-antuaries/longpasture
- Eastham Meeting House School, 25 Schoolhouse Road, Eastham, MA 02642 www.easthamhistoricalsociety.org
- Cahoon Museum of American Art,30 Bates Road, Mashpee, MA 02649 www.cahoonmuseum.org
- Woods Hole Historical Museum, 579 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543 www.woodsholemuseum.org
- Centerville Historical Museum, 513 Main Street/ Centerville, MA 02632 www.centervillehistoricalmuseum.org
- Mashpee Wampanoag Museum, 414 Mail Street, Mashpee, MA 02649
- Benjamin Godfrey Chatham Windmill, 125 Shattuck Place, Chathum, MA 02633 www.chathamwindmill.com/
- Heritage Museums and Gardens, 67 Grove Street, Sandwich, MA 02563 www.heritagemuseumandgardens.org
- Cape Cod Maritime Museum, 135 South Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 www.capecodmaritimemuseum.org
- Harwich Historical Society Museum / Brooks, 80 Parallel Street, Harwich, MA 02645 http://harwichhistoricalsociety.org
- Eastham Meeting House School, 25 Schoolhouse Road, Eastham, MA 02642 www.easthamhistoricalsociety.org
- Brewster Historical Society Museum, 3171 Main Street, Brewster, MA 12631 www.brewsterhistoricalsociety.org
- Cape Cod Military Museum, 30 Keen Street, Bourne, MA 02532 www.capecodmilitarymuseum.org
- Cape Cod Children’s Museum, 577 Great Neck Road South, Mashpee, MA 02649 www.capecodchildrensmuseum.org
- Coast Guard Heritage Museum, 3353 Main Street, Barnstable, MA heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/
- Edward Gorey House, 8 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouth, MA 02675 http://edwardgoreyhouse.org
- Provincetown Art Association And Museum, 460 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657 www.paam.org
- Zion Union Heritage Museum, 276 North Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 www.zuhmi.org/
Harriet Beecher Stowe room
Cape Cod’s Roosevelt Room, B
While all of the bedchambers at the Palmer House have their own romantic charm suitable for relaxation after the most wonderful day of museum seeing adventures on Cape Cod, we recommend the Harriet Beecher Stowe room, the Theodore Roosevelt room or the Emily Dickinson room. These rooms feature comfortable king beds, fireplaces, jetted tubs for a relaxing stay before and after your day.
Mary Moran is a Falmouth native and knowledgeable about Cape Cod. In addition to writing for the Palmer House Inn, she’s also frequently at the inn and available to answer quest’s questions. She enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time exploring Falmouth’s coastal waterways.