One fateful day in 1620 a small ship reached Massachusetts and the world would never be the same again. Out jumped the first of the Pilgrims to the New World and the gears were set in motion that would one day give rise to the state of Massachusetts and then the United States. Today the original Mayflower is long gone, but there is the replica Mayflower II on display today. She is on display at the State Pier in Pilgrim Memorial State Park in the stunning city of Plymouth, Massachusetts. See here for other incredible American naval museums.
About The Mayflower II
The Mayflower II was built from 1955-56 in Devon, England in cooperation with the Americans and then sailed across the Atlantic to recreate the original crossing.
- Status: The Mayflower II Was Listed In The US National Register Of Historic Places In 2020
- Length: 106 Feet (or 32 Meters)
- Width: 25 Feet (or 7.6 Meters)
- Displacement: 236 Tons
- Number Of Masts And Sails: Three Masts And 6 Sails
The ship is very small, many visitors are surprised by just how small she looks in real life, but she is actually a full-scale reproduction of the original tall ship that brought the first of the Pilgrims over. After sailing on other missions, she was brought back to her home at the State Pier in Pilgrim Memorial State Park just in time to celebrate her 400th year anniversary of the arrival of the Pilgrims.
- English Flags: If One Sees Only The English Flag Flying On Her And Not The Union Jack Of The United Kingdom, Its Because She Predates The United Kingdom
Today she is part of the much larger Pilgrim Memorial State Park and so anyone visiting should visit the whole park. But to visit just the Mayflower II it is possible to purchase tickets for her only. While visiting one can also chat with her modern crewmembers and learn all about the modern and old ships.
The Mayflower is open to the public but she is an authentic replica of the original ship. Accordingly, she is not fully accessible and people with walking difficulties may find it difficult to explore the ship with her ramps and several flights of stairs. The dock where one can view the Mayflower is accessible though.
Visiting The Mayflower II and The Pilgrim Memorial State Park
Mayflower II
- Hours Open: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm Every Day
- Ticket Price: $15 Per Adult (Mayflower II Only)
- Plimoth Patuxet
- Hours Open: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Every Day
- Ticket Price: $32 Per Adult
Plimoth Grist Mill
- Hours Open: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Every Day
- Ticket Price: $8.95 Per Adult
For more information, including updates on Covid-19 restrictions and information about the 17th Century English Village, check out their website at Plimoth.org.
17th Century English Village
One of the museum's main attractions is the 17th century English village. This is a recreation of early Plymouth and is made with timber-framed houses with acute attention to detail to recreate the real-life village of the past. The village is filled with the types of objects that the Pilgrims owned and complete with heritage breeds of livestock and aromatic kitchen gardens.
- Note On The Name Pilgrim: Using The Word "Pilgrim" Is Anachronistic As It Wasn't Commonly Used Until The 19th Century - But It's Convenient To Do So
This is a living museum where workers and volunteers at the village are dressed in historical clothing and playing the role of the actual original inhabitants of the colony. They really help to bring the place to live and also educate the guests of the past including the various hopes, fears, dreams, and beliefs of the first colonists.
- Interactive: It Is Very Interactive And Perfect For Families With Small Children
Here one can see the past come back to life complete with the gender roles of the times. A goodwife, or Pilgrim woman actress at the park may ask a child to help her pound her corn or other vege-garden work. Or children may be called upon to participate in a muster drill and learn all about 17th-century defense.
The Historic Patuxet
The Pilgrims didn't land in an uninhabited void, there were Native peoples living here for over 12,000 years. At the Historic Patuxet one can see and learn all about these people who greeted the first of the Pilgrims.
Here one can enter wetu (or the local Native house) and sit on the soft fur-lined benches and play traditional games made from animal bones. The people who lived here were the Wampanoag communities.
One can even see the staff work on making dug-out canoes (called mishoon). This is also an interactive museum so guests may be called upon to help with work and chores.
Visiting the Mayflower II and the Pilgrim Memorial State Park is a great educational experience for families. It offers an insight into America's earliest colonial beginnings and the life and times and beliefs and motives of the times.