Whydah Pirate Museum

Cape Cod


Of the more than 3000 shipwrecks off the Cape's coast, the Whydah is one of the best documented and is the subject of this family-friendly museum. Captained by 'Black Sam' Bellamy, the Whydah sank in 1717 and to this day remains the only authenticated pirate ship ever salvaged. A local expedition recovered more than 100,000 items of booty – coins, jewelry, weapons – and some of these are on display here. There's other general pirate info as well.

Note, however, that many of the prize pieces may be on loan and exhibited elsewhere by the National Geographic Society, which aided in the recovery. Call ahead to avoid disappointment.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cape Cod attractions

1. Seagull Beach

0.99 MILES

Long and wide Seagull Beach, off South Sea Ave from MA 28, is the town's best south-side beach. The scenic approach to the beach runs alongside a tidal…

2. West Dennis Beach

2.07 MILES

Extending one gorgeous mile along Nantucket Sound, this is the south side's mecca for swimmers, windsurfers and kiteboarders. It's a good bet for finding…

3. Werner Schmidt Observatory

2.49 MILES

Cape Cod Astronomical Society welcomes visitors to weekly summer 'star parties' at its observatory, behind the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. Peer…

4. Cape Cod Maritime Museum

2.84 MILES

Suitably close to Hyannis Harbor, this museum explores the Cape's seafaring connections, especially the local boat-building tradition.

5. Kalmus Beach

2.89 MILES

You'll find plenty of space in which to lay your towel on wide Kalmus Beach, at the south end of Ocean St in Hyannis. Thanks to its steady breezes, it's a…

6. Veterans Beach

2.91 MILES

The closest beach to Hyannis' Main St, Veterans Beach is a favorite with families thanks to the playground facilities, picnic tables and shallow waters…

7. HyArts District

3.05 MILES

Before you jump on that ferry, take a walk through the harborside HyArts District, which includes the Guyer Barn community art space and neighboring…

8. John F Kennedy Hyannis Museum

3.08 MILES

Hyannis has been the summer home of the Kennedy clan for generations. Back in the day, JFK spent the warmer months here – times that are beautifully…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "usa/massachusetts/yarmouth/attractions/whydah-pirate-museum/a/poi-sig/1611848/1314552",
      "destination": "Cape-Cod",
      "continent": "North-America",
      "country": "USA",
      "region": "Cape-Cod",
      "position": "superzone"
    }