Nantucket Whaling Museum Review: Why It's Perfect for Families (Rain or Shine!)
- Samantha
- Jul 5
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 12
We visited Nantucket in early/mid-June, and I’m going to be honest, it was a little colder and rainier than I was anticipating! I clearly didn’t do my weather research as well as I should have! Although our visit was mostly rainy, it was really quaint and charming if I’m being honest, and there were some great indoor activity options!
One of which was the Nantucket Whaling Museum, which has exhibits that detail Nantucket’s history and were interesting for all ages. Here are the parts that we enjoyed most.
Nantucket history
The museum is actually a really good size and there are tons of exhibits that help you learn all about the people who first lived in Nantucket, whaling and boating. My three-year-old son’s favorite area was one that had gorgeous model ships of all different sizes, and I loved an interactive video where holographic actresses depicted the first women who lived in Nantucket and shared their stories.
Whale skeleton
In the center of the museum is a 46-foot whale skeleton that our son was so excited to see. It’s like the Nantucket version of a dinosaur natural history museum!
Discovery center
We visited the Whaling Museum on one of our last days in Nantucket, so my son was in need of some serious play time. The discovery center was a huge “historic Nantucket” playspace for kids with tons of Nantucket-themed toys, like ship flag magnets, a play table that recreates the historic Nantucket railroad, and a bunch of coloring and book options. I think my son could have stayed here all day if we would have let him!
Rooftop deck
If it’s not raining when you visit, don’t miss the rooftop deck, which offers great views of Nantucket Harbor. We didn’t get a chance to get up here when we visited, but I’m so bummed that we missed it!
What is your favorite natural history museum? Let me know which one we need to visit next in the comments!
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