What a great museum to visit when in town. Learned so much as I walked through the rooms…read more Read through the history and truly left feeling like I learned more than walking in and that all you can really want from a museum. The staff was pleasant in the front and provided great information. Museum is not large. Didn't feel overwhelmed by all the rooms. Definitely a must visit!

The JFK Museum is located in the heart of Main St in Hyannis. The museum has 2 floors, with most of…read morethe exhibits of interest housed on the first floor. By exhibits, it's mostly pictures and historical context rather than many actual artifacts, so I totally get all the negative reviews questioning it's merits as an actual museum. As most of my historical knowledge was that of what I learned about JFK in school and some sites I visited in Dallas, the chronological layout of the place did give me a bit of historical overview of his life at various times, as well as his family. While the museum could have used some more film rooms and actual artifacts of JFK, it's perfectly fine as a rainy day activity while visiting Cape Cod. While the cost of admission isn't that expensive, it is a bit pricey for what you actually get as a "museum experience" as a whole. There is a small gift shop if you're interested in purchasing souvenirs. Overall, I'd rate the JFK Hyannis Museum a 3.5 out of 5, but feel the place could have made better use of the 2nd floor and made more of an effort to include actual artifacts in the exhibits.

This museum is so interesting and not to be missed on a visit to Cape Cod. Historically…read moreinformative, the costumed interpreter, who by the way, also has a lovely singing voice, takes you an a journey that is both fun for all. The museum is geared towards adults and school aged children. The real life artifacts are simply amazing. Great spot for a rainy day. Plan at least 1.5 hours to enjoy all. Plan ahead with on-line prepaid tickets. Gift shop on site with a lovely staff that can assist you. For pirate fans, this museum is a real gem.

Good, not great. Probably only takes 30-45 minutes to do, and for $23 its a little overpriced. The…read moredisplays are interesting, for sure, and there's a lot of fun information. You can only take pictures of 5 of the displays, which is kind of a bummer, as you want to be able to remember and look back on places like this. So overally it could be better. I don't regret doing it, but if I could do it over knowing what I know now, I probably would've only do if it was $15 or less. All that said, there are worse ways to spend your time.

This was a great stop during my visit to cape cod. There is a lot of information in this seemingly…read moresmall museum. It's bigger than it looks and I learned a lot. There is a lot of information on the forming of the cape, so many different types of ships, and the struggles during the creation of infrastructure. Lots of detailed information on the lighthouses in the area too. One of the most impressive pieces of history I learned more about was the SS Pendleton rescue. The SS Pendleton broke in half during a massive winter storm. The U.S. Coast Guard ended up rescuing 32 passengers from the SS Pendleton, with a small rescue ship designed to hold no more than 12 people. It's the most daring small-boat rescue in U.S. Coast Guard history. I was welcomed in immediately and the lady working at the time talked to us for a while. She was very enthusiastic about sharing the history and her knowledge about the museum.

Wonderful Maritime Museum…read more This was a very nice museum. I enjoyed seeing the boat building shed and the lighthouse exhibits. They also have an amazing scrimshaw collection. The staff (Patricia) was very knowledgeable and friendly. Date of experience: October 5, 2025

I remember visiting the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History as a child and remembered it being a…read morepretty cool place. Now as a parent with a young child and as adult this place is awesome! Situated along 6A in Brewster towards Dennis CCMNH is a gem of a find. Admission is free for kids under 3, to learn more about the natural history of Cape Cod, $8 for kids 3-12, $15 for ages 13-64, and $12 for 65+. You get so much for your admission (although there is a slight upcharge of $5 to be able to enter the butterfly enclosure) and it is only a few dollars more to purchase a membership. You can explore the physical museum and learn about the natural history of Cape Cod and the local Native Americans, see the live honey bee hive, read and see exhibits that display native birds and species to Cape Cod, bring the kiddos to the interactive kids section (which does include live reptiles), and head downstairs where there is an impressive aquatic collection of local sea creatures, which includes turtles, fish, horseshoe crabs, seahorses, jelly fish, and more. The museum itself is well maintained and clean. Beyond the museum is the preservation of protected land. There are multiple walking trails (that yes we have easily used our jogger stroller on, but of course do not walk outside of the trail out of respect for wildlife preservation) to explore. The trails are well labeled and many display the names of native fauna. If the tide is low you can even take the walk down to Wing Island through marshland. Wing Island is beautiful and offers two walking trail points to the beach. The views are pristine and a perfect representation of the Brewster flats and classic Cape Cod beaches. You do not need to be a active athlete to enjoy the trails and apart from the stairs down to the beach everything else is relatively flat. CCMNH also offers guided tours of the area with insights regarding Cape Cod nature and history should you be interested. Although we have not taken advantage of all the programming that CCMNH has to offer there is a calendar during the busier tourist season that is full of different conservation, family, and camp events. You can easily spend half a day here if you explored the full museum and nature trails. This is a place where there is something for everyone and the payment in admission is a worthy investment in the preservation of what makes Cape Cod so remarkable. We look forward to our next visit!

Every time I come here, at least one staff member is extremely rude. It's expensive and it's one of…read morethe only museums on cape that doesn't allow library passes or any wic discounts, which discourages the locals from enjoying it and learning about the local history. The high entrance fee you pay doesn't pay for the whole museum, either. You have to pay extra to see butterflies, and even more extra to feed them. The website and front desk say they take cash but they refused to take it. When I insisted and pointed to sign saying they take cash the worker announced loudly in front of a lobby of people not to let me kids in, we haven't paid! (I was holding the cash while we waited for change to come from another part of the museum) . The staff(or volunteer) in the aquarium was I extremely rude too. This museum is meant for children and to show such little tolerance for their questions and curiosity is sad. On the contrary the science center staff was kind and engaging, but it didn't make up for the salty taste the negative experience made. Beyond that, several parts of grounds were in disrepair and even dangerous. It needs some upkeep, some training, and to be part of the community in a way they currently are not.

Looking at the website, it suggests the house is open to walk throughs but when I went there were…read moreguided hourly tours. Asked if I could visit the bookstore and person at the desk was like "let me think about it. ok you can look around." very strange vibes and how it operates in practice doesn't seem to match what is on the website. as some other reviewers have noted your service may vary depending on "vibes" or whatever. hard pass.

Learned so much about Edward Gorey and his lovely home on Cape Cod. The museum consists of the…read morefirst level of the house and features Edward's belongings and works. I was amazed to see the Tony he won for Dracula in person. The museum is a sight to behold with so many treasures to look through. We enjoyed the scavenger hunt you can complete while walking through the museum (though we could not find the final items needed for a prize) and the docent tour. Our docent Mary Anne was amazing. She really knew so much about Edward Gorey and his life. I loved learning about his love of cats and knowing that the museum still has cats who live on premise today, as well as the charitable giving that has continued well after his death to local animal charities. Well worth a visit. Be sure to drop by the gift shop afterwards as they have a ton of books, shirts, and memorabilia to choose from.

A comprehensive history of whaling & how it effected the entire world. It is a fascinating place…read morewith beautiful handmade artwork done on ivory, bone, etc. There is a comprehensive descriptive catalogue that is very complete though a little too 'wolk' in its outlook for me. It costs $69 which is expensive but worthwhile. I highly tecommend this museum even if you had no prior interest in whaling. It is MUCH more than whalng.

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.

Went with a two year old. Plenty to hold his interest but could see the whole place in 30-45…read moreminutes so it was just the right amount of time. Volunteers were very friendly and the exhibits were informative. Don't expect an aquarium. This focuses on shark facts, photos and some interactive exhibits. You'll be supporting a good cause. Admission price is reasonable, so overall a pretty good value too.

This small but educational center is best a stop for older kids and adults. To get the most out of…read moreit, there's a decent amount of reading. Staff were knowledgeable, and the most interesting information connects directly to the research they are connected with. You won't spend hours here, but it's a worthy diversion.

I am so glad that we made it here! What made our visit so special was OUR GUIDE! She as fantastic…read more We visited in early August. She told me that this was her first summer working there and that she was previously working with a researcher off island. She was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about her job and we learned a lot about the island and some of the history behing shipwrecks. This is a bit off the beaten path, away from the center of town, but this was one of the things that made it so special. For sure worth a 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.

Had an amazing visit to the Highland Lighthouse. We were able to get a tour on May 1st, the first…read moreday they were open for the season. When you arrive you can buy your ticket in the gift shop. The gift shop had a great selection of items to choose from and we picked up a lovely print. Tickets were $10 per adult. The tour takes you to the top of the lighthouse which requires a lot of climbing and fitting into narrow spaces. Our tour guide Ken was the best! He helped to enhance our experience with his knowledge of the lighthouse and the historical information shared. He was also very conscious of our safety and made me feel at ease despite how narrow some of the climbing areas got. He was happy to chat with us and answered any questions we had. Highland lighthouse is the oldest and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod. The views are absolutely worth the climb, as well as all of the historical background. Well worth the $10. Happy we made it in time for the last tour of the day. It was a one of a kind experience.

Beautiful Scenic walk, surrounded by a nice golf course, with limited parking. Unfortunately you…read morecannot go to the cliffs anymore as they are no longer stable. But we could still appreciate the peaceful walk up to the lighthouse, and you can still feel the ocean breeze coming off the Atlantic.

Old shed with old rough cars. Leaky roof, rundown dangerous building. Don't want to seem too…read morecritical but to call this a museum is a huge stretch! May have been okay 20-years ago, but not any more. All cars are a mess. Not worth the trip.

Fun red classic car museum in Hyannis, Ma. Interesting to hear the history behind the cars and the…read morepassion behind the red car collection. Admission is $10. Parking available on the property.