So you’re taking a Cape Cod vacation and you want to see some attractions. Well on the Cape there are many museums which everyone of all ages can enjoy. Everything from the history of Cape Cod to railroad museums, there are a wide variety of museums. You can enjoy a natural history museum or go take a look at the late president John F. Kennedy’s trips to the Cape.

Top 10 Cape Cod Museums

1. Chatham Railroad Museum – a great look at the history of the railroad. This particular museum houses everything from model trains to telegraph equipment to a fully restored early 1900’s wooden caboose. It is free to walk around and take in the sights so don’t miss this one on your Cape Cod vacation.
2. Falmouth Museums on the Green – Comprised of two eighteenth century houses, this museum offers visitors a look into 18th century Cape Cod life. Highlights of both houses include colonial furnishings and kitchens along with a whaling exhibit and America the Beautiful author and Falmouth native Katharine Lee Bates.
3. John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum – Kennedy visited Cape Cod quite often and this museum compiles his days out on the Cape. The JFK Hyannis museum chronicles the days John F. Kennedy spent on the Cape through videos, photos and oral histories spanning almost 30 years.
4. Cape Cod Museum of Natural History – This enormous museum has 17,000 square feet of exhibit space on an 80 acre site surrounded by 300 acres of conservation land all dedicated to the natural history of Cape Cod. Visiting here you will find walking trails, nature tours, aquariums and a museum store and library. This is a great outdoor activity on your Cape Cod vacation.
5. Sandwich Glass Museum – Starting in the early 19th century Sandwich transitioned from an agricultural community to a center for art glass and glass making. The Sandwich Glass Museum features locally crafted decorative glassware from the 1820’s to the early 1900’s as well as information on the area’s glass making history. They also have demonstrations for you to experience.
6. New England Fire and History Museum – This museum features all sorts of fire equipment, like historic engines, equipment, memorabilia, but also has exhibits like a village blacksmith and apothecary shop. Again this is another museum that will have demonstrations for you, and you can even climb aboard the trucks.
7. Aptucxet Trading post Museum – A recreation of a 1600’s trading post on the real life site where pilgrims traded with Dutch settlers so many years ago and local Wampanoag Indian tribe. 17th century herb and wildflower gardens are beautiful in full bloom in spring and summer.
8. Thornton W. Burgess Museum – This museum is an 18th century home once owned by Burgess’s Aunt Arabella. Burgess was the author of famous children’s books like Peter Cotton Tail and still holds some of his original work. The grounds also feature a swan and duck pond, herb garden and a gift shop stocked with many of Burgess’ books.
9. Swift Daily House and Tool Museum – A tool museum featuring hundreds of unusual items, a bow-roof house built in 1741. The house contains many artifacts from daily life in colonial times such as clothing, china, furniture and various other household items. For any history buff this is a must see on your Cape Cod vacation.
10. Centerville Historical Museum – This museum has a little something for everyone. Featuring military artifacts and a civil war display to children’s toys and dolls, from a maritime gallery to a colonial kitchen, from a Victorian parlor to a 19th century classroom, this museum is a true celebration of Cape Cod’s history.

On your Cape Cod vacation be sure to take advantage of all of these amazing museums. Whether you’re a history buff or just curious about where and what Cape Cod came from you can’t miss these attractions. Most of them are free for admission so there’s no reason you can’t go have a great time and get a little bit of education too.