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The South Shore region has a wonderful variety of fine museums & galleries.

Massachusetts > South of Boston > Indoor Activities > Museums and Galleries
Art Complex Museum
Art Complex Museum

189 Alden Street Duxbury, MA, 02332 Phone: 781-934-6634

A Dynamic Blend of Art, Culture, and Nature

Situated on 13 acres, the Art Complex Museum houses the art collection of co-founders, Carl A. and Edith Weyerhaeuser.

Opened in 1971, the museum offers 10 shows each year, featuring the work of contemporary artists and thematic exhibits curated from the museum's collection. The collection features American paintings, Works on Paper, Asian Art, Shaker Furniture, and other treasures. (See artcomplex.org for a current schedule.)

The museum grounds are home to a sculpture garden and a Japanese Tea Hut. Other programming features Japanese Tea Ceremonies, concerts, galley talks, and educational offerings in our art studio.

Admission: Free
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Museums & Galleries
Plimoth Patuxet Museums

137 Warren Avenue Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-746-1622

One Museum. Four Historic Sites. Endless Possibilities to Discover. Centuries of History to Explore.

Explore the stories of the Indigenous People of the Eastern Woodlands as you step inside a wetu, see the making of a mishoon, and watch traditional foods being prepared on the Historic Patuxet Homesite. In the 17th-Century English Village, meet the Pilgrims portrayed by historical performers as you traverse the early settlement. Step aboard national treasure, Mayflower II and hear stories about the 1620 transatlantic journey of the Pilgrims that changed the world. Visit the Plimoth Grist Mill to learn about the importance of corn in the 17th century and today. Named the Best Open-Air Museum in the USA in 2024 and 2025 by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
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Spring Entrance View - Pilgrim Hall Museum - Plymouth, MA
Pilgrim Hall Museum

75 Court Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-746-1620

Artifacts, programs illuminate the stories of Pilgrims, indigenous people

At the Pilgrim Hall Museum, visitors will discover the story of families of different cultures and the great difficulties they faced from the arrival of the Mayflower to the end of the Plymouth Colony in 1692. Opening its doors in 1824, the museum is the nation’s oldest continuously operating public museum, with a vast collection of Pilgrim possessions, including Myles Standish’s sword, William Bradford’s Bible and Peregrine White’s cradle. The museum’s focus also encompasses the experiences of the Wampanoag people, who lived in the area for over 13,000 years before the Pilgrims. Exhibitions and programs trace the interrelationships between the Wampanoag and early colonial settlers. Begin your historical journey with a 15-minute orientation film and end it in the gift shop with items from corn husk dolls to Mayflower replicas.
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New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park - Photo Credit New Bedford Whaling Museum
New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park

33 William Street New Bedford, MA Phone: 508-996-4095

Covering 13 city blocks, a Visitor Center and many other buildings in downtown New Bedford, this park, operated by the National Park Service, preserves the history of 19th-20th century whaling industry, which had its epicenter in this old seafaring town. The park also tells stories of global immigration, Underground Railroad, women’s history, cultural diversity, architecture, and art. Here, you can see scenes like the Seamen’s Bethel, places depicted in Herman Melville’s classic novel “Moby-Dick.”
Hours: April 1 to December 31, daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; January 1 to March 31, closed Mondays and Tuesdays
See You in Plymouth this Thanksgiving! Visit our Destination Plymouth page!
Children's Museum in Easton

The Old Fire Station, 9 Sullivan Avenue North Easton, MA, 02356 Phone: 508-230-3789

Located in the historic Old Fire Station in North Easton, the Children's Museum of Easton offers hands-on experience to stimulate curiosity and motivate learning. Three floors of interactive exhibits and over 100 programs allow kids to explore the world around them. Primarily for children age 1 to 8.
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; closed most Mondays; call ahead for holidays or school vacation hours
Admission: $7.50 per person; children under 1 admitted for free.
scrimshaw at New Bedford-Whaling Museum-credit-shutterstock
New Bedford Whaling Museum

18 Johnny Cake Hill New Bedford, MA, 02740 Phone: 508-997-0046

The New Bedford Whaling Museum houses the world's most comprehensive collection of whaling and maritime artifacts. Climb aboard the world's largest ship model, the 89-foot bark Lagoda, and view the 66-foot skeleton of a rare blue whale.
Hours: October-April, Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; May-September, daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; open holiday Mondays; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Admission: General, $14; seniors, $12; students, $9; children, $6.
New Bedford Fire Museum

868 Pleasant Street - New Bedford New Bedford, MA, 02740 Phone: 508-991-6124

Restored fire trucks and interactive exhibits highlight this museum of firefighting, firefighters and their tools. Hours: Call ahead for visiting hours.
Hull Lifesaving Museum

1117 Nantasket Avenue Hull, MA, 02045 Phone: 617-925-5433

Nineteenth-century Life Saving Station facing Boston Light; working rescue apparatus; exhibits, shipwreck lore, and kid's loft.
Hours: Year-round, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; July-October, also open weekends, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. ; Additional hours and guided tours available by appointment
Admission: Adults, $5; seniors, $3; children 18 and younger, free.