Since 1884 islanders have enjoyed the beauty of this magnificent carousel. Built by Charles W.F. Dare company, it is the nation's oldest platform carousel still in operation. Acquired by the Preservation Trust in 1986, the carousel is a National Historic Landmark. Children and adults alike may enjoy a ride on this brilliant structure. Rides are reasonably priced and if you catch the brass ring, you ride for free! Video games and refreshments are also available here.
The Meetinghouse is a community center for the arts. The goal is to bring the community together to support and encourage literary, visual and performing arts. The center offers free afternoon programs for young children as well as evening and weekend workshops for adults and teenagers. In addition, The Featherstone features concerts, gallery shows, art and history exhibits, lectures and performances.
Edward Gorey House is a memoir and a preservation of the works of, as the name suggests, the artist and writer Edward Gorey. The house belongs to the man himself and this is where he lived as well. On display at the house are sketches, unpublished works, paintings, ink drawings and much more; all of them works of Gorey. There are also original scripts of his famous works. A lot of the items are part of private collections and a number of them are singular pieces not available anywhere else. The house does focus on Gorey, but also showcases the works of Hillaire Belloc, Edward Lear, T.S. Eliot and others. The house is also involved with a number of animal activation events because of Gorey’s interest and love for animals. They are listed on the website, so do have a look. There is also a gift shop hat has the artists characters come to life as figurines, apparel, posters, jewelery and other goodies.
The Sandwich Glass Museum makes an interesting addition to one's travel itinerary. Located in the heart of downtown Sandwich, Massachusetts, the museum opened its door to the public in 1825. It houses a collection of unique glassware, live-blowing demonstrations, and exhibits depicting the history of glass art and industry. For more information on tours as well as the museum itself, call ahead or visit their website.
The Cape Cod Maritime Museum is a quaint and interesting museum that's located on the Hyannis Waterfront. The museum is centered around the rich seafaring history of Cape Cod and displays excellent artifacts from the bygone era of wooden boatbuilding. Well-preserved historic boats, exceptionally recreated replicas, informational videos, paintings, and ancient tools are some of the highlights of the main exhibit area. The museum also conducts boatbuilding workshops and classes that are lots of fun and fuel the creative spark within you. A visit to the Cape Cod Maritime Museum is highly recommended when in the city.
Made up of 2,700 acres (1,092 hectares) of marshlands, open water, barrier beaches, trout streams, watersheds and uplands, with many wilderness campsites and several walking tours, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Reserve makes for a great day trip. Other activities at the park include swimming, shell fishing, canoeing, kayaking and even restricted hunting on Washburn Island, which is accessible only by boat. The reserve also includes the 500-acre (202 hectares) South Cape Beach State Park, which is known for its swimming beach.