Admission was $20 per adult during our visit. We had a great experience exploring the whaling…read moremuseum. The museum takes you through the history of the whaling industry on Nantucket with historical artifacts and documents from this time. The museum also has a full sperm whale skeleton on display. I was truly in awe by the items we saw on the display. It was educational and I feel I learned a lot. The museum is two floors worth of exhibits and a rooftop deck where you can look out onto the surrounding island. The museum also offered lectures, discussions, and documentaries you could engage with throughout the day. When we arrived they had a schedule displayed for the days events. I felt this was worth the cost of admission and was a must see stop on our trip to Nantucket.

This was an excellent museum covering both the history of Nantucket as well as the geology of the…read moreisland that makes it special. The sperm whale skeleton is the centerpiece of the museum, but the movies and standing exhibits were excellent in helping understand what it was like to live on the island across the ages. It was interesting to see the rise and fall of different industries over time. Definitely worth the visit.

Man, this was a fun museum, full of great stories, memorabilia, and nautical stuff!…read more We went , and spent about three hours, early June. I was pretty quiet, as tourist season had not really started. So, we, essentially, had the place to ourselves. The staff was most gracious, knowledgeable, friendly, and interesting. We had plenty of time to ask questions, and really good dialogue! Clean, well-lit, nice facility. We rented a Jeep, and there was plenty of parking. It is a little bit of a trek, you will need to either rent a car, uber/taxi, or bike it. Lovely area, and was just nice to sit outside, and sip on a cold water and take the sights in.

Great experience. This is a small, one-story building with plenty of history, artifacts, videos,…read moreand relics to give you a good history lesson on shipwrecks and important milestones in the history of Nantucket, including Mildred Jewett! The staff are super warm and friendly and even offered a personalized tour, but we opted for the self-guided tour. There is plenty to see and learn. You could expect to spend 45 minutes to an hour here. You'll need a car to get here. Or you could Lyft/Uber!

The environment is so nice and the decor is beutiful! As well as a learning experience, the animals…read morehere are happy and can even be touched if you ask a volunteer. I came here with friends and was ushered in kindly by the interns at the front desk. Did I mention getting in is FREE?! Very busy and volunteers there stay calm and collected and are happy to help. I got to pet a tortoise and a snake! I recomend this as a must do nantucket experience.

For a small resort island, I love that they their own public library and it's larger than you'd…read moreexpect. It doubles as a cultural center and a mini museum. Located right in the middle of everything in the downtown district, this is a site not to be missed! Beautiful exterior architecture and a grand staircase. Two floors, with a range of books, a corner for free books for the taking, restrooms in the lower level, and friendly staff. They have events year round including lectures and special exhibits. I wish I had more time to explore!

The Atheneum is a must visit. It's great for kids and adults…read more First, wander around the outside grounds. Check online for any programming, too; we stumbled upon a really great outdoor show for young kids with music and dancing - very memorable and fun. We got our kid's first library card here, even as a non-local. The kid book section is right in front with a great selection. There's also a kid's bathroom. There are extra bathrooms for adults in the basement, but they took forever.

Another must do when vacationing on island, and in Town…read more It is small, but the folks at Maria Mitchell are very dedicated. There are things to see, do, and touch. Except for the giant lobster (who looks delicious by the way - but probably tough as a horse!). A must do, and a great cause!

The total aquarium is like 300 square feet. Manage those expectations! But with a 4 year old in…read morehand, it was enjoyable. I think a slightly older child would find it even more engaging and potentially stay longer than the 20 minutes we were there for. They have 1 touch tank with some crabs and clams that you can touch and pick up. They have 1 tank that you can look into with a young shark, more crabs and young fish that was pretty cool. Inside the 2 enclosed rooms they have more tanks filled with baby fish, a lobster, etc... Highlight: seeing a shark fetus swimming around in a sac before being born. And also seeing a newborn shark and puffer fish. $10/adult and $8/child. A little pricey for what it is, but sigh, Nantucket. I feel like children's admission should always be free for educational purposes, but that's just me. Staff and volunteers were nice and enthusiastic!

Nothing the Nantucket Historical Association does nothing bad; everything they do is for the good…read moreof the preservation of the island's history, story, and beauty. If you are heading to the island, I highly recommend you check out their website. Stop at the Visitor's Center and grab a brochure of all of the NHQ sites to see - most within walking distance from Town. www.nha.org Two thumbs up, err, I mean 5-Stars.

This is a great museum for the whaling industry in Nantucket. Their displays are amazing. We did a…read moreguided tour of their temporary exhibit of clothing in Nantucket. It was very informative and fun. Do not miss the scrimshaw exhibit in the museum, it is amazing. Go to the top of the building to see views of the town. The gift shop has many interesting and unusual products that you can buy.

Always a great spot to come to visit. Sankaty Head is a part of Siasconset, aka 'Sconset, proper,…read moreand located on the east side of the island. The views are really incredible! You are up high, and there is a downward view of the Sankaty Head Golf Club which borders the station. A nice view and of Nantucket - just beautiful. If you look north, you can make out Great Point Light too if there is no fog or haze. This location is a great for amateur radio too; with a hand-held walkie, you can easily reach the Dennis and Barnstable 2 meter/VHF repeaters. The Nantucket Amateur Radio Association holds their International Lighthouse Lightship weekend special event station at this location. There is a couple of benches, foot traffic, bicycles, and cars; this is a heavily visited site. Parking area for cars. The area has fencing around it. Watch for ticks! Bring a chair if able. Enjoy the views!

About a 20-minute drive from the Nantucket Downtown District area…read more If you have access to a car while visiting Nantucket, stop by the Sankaty Lighthouse. It was nice that it wasn't crowded, and the walking path is easy to traverse. There's a fenced area over by the bluffs that has nice views of the beach and ocean. There's signage indicating some facts and history. You can't go inside the lighthouse, as expected, but you can't walk right up to the front door, which is kinda neat. Expect to spend about 30 minutes here, mostly with a smooth drive. AT&T cell service is limited so screenshot and directions in case you're out of range of internet coverage!

Why has no one made a review of the Hadwen House, home of the Nantucket Historical Association, and…read moremore importantly, the Basket Museum?! OK - a few years ago, '22 I believe, we got the Nantucket Official Guide at the Hyline terminal and looked up the address of the museum; in Town, so that was cool an easy walk! My wife likes those baskets, and my mother had one as well, so it was a destination/thing to do when we spent our week on-island. The Official Guide was out of date, as we walked from Town up through neighborhoods only to find that the building was empty... they moved. So we went to the Whaling Museum to inquire, and they really had no clue, but sent us to Hadwen House where other NHA folks were working. Well, in fact, it was the new location of the Basket Museum. It was free then, now ('25) it costs 10 or 20 dollars to get a pass enabling you to visit all of the NHA sites. When you enter there is a little desk area, you turn right and there are lovely paintings, antique furniture, and displays along the way from the front right parlor to the rear. The baskets, even I have to admit, are pretty cool. The front left parlor has some incredible furniture as well, and I mean like Antiques Roadshow quality. Upstairs, they have a display area where local crafters demonstrate on how to make a basket. We all joke about that basket weaving course in college, you know, the gimme, but really, there is an art to making those things! I highly recommend visiting the Basket Museum at Hadwen House, upper Main Street, across from the Three Bricks. Lovely area. Beautiful house too. They have a bathroom on the first floor, in the back, kind of all stark white, antique style, and kind of creepy... if you look in the mirror you will see someone standing behind you! Just kidding... sort of. A very nice place to sit on the front steps or the benches on the porch, and catch your breath and take in ACK.

Our no longer so secret party spot. Even in the off season, it's ridiculously congested. If you…read morescore parking on premises, it's like winning an organ transplant. A few years ago, someone offered to buy my parking space for $500. (I declined.) There's often live music. (Check local publications or their website for up-to-date schedules.) There are often a number of food trucks present. On our recent visit, we had oysters from Hang Ten (enormous, meaty and sweet, but shucked with a ton of shell shards); tacos, guac and nachos from Millie's; and pizza from Eat Fire Pizza. And of course we had a number of decent beers on tap from Cisco Brewers. They seem to tend towards lightness, minimal hoppiness: good summer brews for warm weather. It's family friendly -- including canine members. Our pup is a seasoned New Yorker and accustomed to crowds, but even she seemed a little frazzled by the press of people at times.

My husband and I went to Nantucket for a long weekend and stayed with a friend of ours. He had told…read moreus how much fun Cisco Brewery was, and that they have great bands...so we Ubered up there on a Saturday. We got there fairly early but the first band had already started, and the area under the tent was already full. We got some drinks, checked out the space and eventually we were able to snag some chairs under the tent. The outside beer area had alcohol drinks as well. 2 of us had tequila drinks, and 2 tried the beers. We were all really happy with our choices. All of the food there came from food trucks, and there were a lot of random vendors, which made it a fun, unique experience! All of our food and drinks were great. I also bought a few hats- the hat selection was really good from the band and the brewery. They also had a shop along with the other vendors who were set up. We stayed longer than expected- the first band (Grateful Dead cover band) was amazing, so we stayed to check out the second band (who were really good also). We eventually gave up our seats under the tent to some very happy people! We will definitely go back to the Cisco brewery the next time we're in Nantucket- it was a great experience all around! Everyone we encountered- whether they worked there, or weee there for fun were very nice and friendly. There was a dance area in front of the stage and people definitely used it - so there was great people watching in a super fun setting!