Mystic Seaport

The Museum of America and the Sea, known to most people as Mystic Seaport, houses the largest collection of boats and maritime photography in the world in the setting of a 19th Century seaport village. Its Maritime Art Gallery currently features Modern Marine Masters. The village tavern serves meals appropriate to its setting and the Buckingham-Hall House has fireplace/open hearth cooking demonstrations. The most famous of Mystic Seaport’s vessels on site is the Charles W. Morgan, a whaler built in 1841 and restored and preserved by the seaport. There’s a planetarium, as well as the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. At the Boathouse, visitors may rent rowboats or small sailboats to take out on the Mystic River. The coal-fired steamboat Sabino and several other boats operate during summer.

Seaport admission (available online) is $24; $22 for seniors, college students and active military, and $15 for 6- to 17-year-olds (validate ticket for second consecutive day free). Group rates are available. The seaport is open daily 9 to 5 through Oct. 30, then daily 10 to 4 Oct. 31-Nov27 the winter schedule is 10-4, Thursday to Sunday, Nov. 228-Jan. 1.

Details

The seaport is on the banks of the Mystic River in Mystic, also home to the Mystic Aquarium, and not far from New London, home of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Take I-95 north to Exit 90; follow signs. Visit mysticseaport.org or call 888-9SEAPORT.