Pilgrim Hall Museum - Museum Events

2018 FEATURED EXHIBIT

Wampanoag World: Patuxet to Plymouth
On Display: Saturday, February 24th through December 30th, 2018

Who were the original residents of Plymouth? Wampanoag World: Patuxet to Plymouth captures the vitality and persistence of the Wampanoag people of Patuxet through 10,000 years of lived experience to the founding of Plymouth Colony in 1620. Displays of Native artifacts illustrate craft, trading networks, family and social experience, and maritime and agricultural lifeways.

A highlight is a two-month showing in February and March of “Our Story: 400 Years of Wampanoag History”, a traveling exhibition based on Wampanoag perspectives, presented by Plymouth 400, Inc. and produced by the Indian Spiritual and Cultural Training Council and SmokeSygnals Marketing and Communications.

2018 EVENTS

Click on a link to explore each month:
February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Opening Day – Pilgrim Hall Museum
February 1, 2018

The museum opens its door to the public on February 1st for our 194th season! Pilgrim Hall Museum is open seven days a week from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm throughout the year, except for December 24th-25th, New Year’s Eve, and the month of January. Yes, we are open on Thanksgiving Day!

Featured Exhibition
Our Story: 400 Years of Wampanoag History
Sponsored by Tiny & Sons Auto Glass
February 1 through March 29, 2018

This multi-media traveling exhibition based on Wampanoag perspectives reveals little-known historical and cultural realties of the “people of the first light.“ Presented by Plymouth 400, Inc. and produced by the Indian Spiritual and Cultural Training Council and SmokeSygnals Marketing and Communications.

February Kids Week – Family Programs at Pilgrim Hall
Monday, February 19th –Friday, February 23rd
Sponsored by The Rotary Club of Plymouth
Celebrate February vacation week with a series of family-friendly activities for children at Pilgrim Hall Museum. Bring the youngsters and enjoy book readings, arts and crafts, and programs from 10 to 11 am and 1 to 2 pm, plus Treasure Hunts for all ages every day throughout the day. Kids Week programs are entertaining and educational for young learners, and there’s plenty for grown-ups to explore, too, in the unique galleries of the nearly 200-year-old institution. Get out of the cold, and experience fun learning adventures in an interactive family setting!

Monday, February 19th – 10 am to 2 pm
Musket Day at the Museum
Colorfully costumed re-enactors from the New Plimmoth Gard brandish pikes, swords and muskets to commemorate the establishment of Plymouth’s first colonial militia. Meet the Gardsmen to learn about defense, warfare, and daily life in 17th-century Plymouth Colony. Includes live musket volleys on the Museum lawn!

Tuesday, February 20th
Meet the Author Book Reading – 10 to 11 am
Artist Heidi Mayo, author of Nelson Telson: The Story of a True Blood, presents the story of eleven-year-old Mariah Miller, who is so shy she’d rather be an animal than a human! Enchantment abounds when she finds a magic spearhead on the beach that allows her to talk to a wise old horseshoe crab and a host of other animals. Reading followed by Nelson Telson craft activities. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Mapping Massachusetts – 1 to 2 pm
Explore a gigantic map of Massachusetts rolled out on the Museum floor to learn fun stories about the State and enjoy mapping activities with educator Kathy Babini. Appropriate for all ages.

Wednesday, February 21st
Native American Book Reading – 10 to 11 am
Enjoy a reading of Joseph Bruchac’s Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving and participate in craft activities with educators Judy Fosdick and Tedda Lindeman. In 1620, an English ship called the Mayflower landed on the shores inhabited by the Wampanoag people, and it was Squanto who welcomed the newcomers and taught them how to survive in the rugged land they called Plymouth. Appropriate for ages 5-11.

Meet the Author Book Reading – 1 to 2:30 pm
Discover Barnicle and Husk: The Adventure Begins. Barnicle is a crafty cat who travels the world on ships as a stowaway. In 1620, he finds himself on the Mayflower along with 102 Pilgrims and a timid little mouse named Husk. As they travel over rough seas from England to the New World, Barnicle learns that mice can be more than just a cat’s tasty snack. Still, he has his own adventures to seek, and the two friends part ways when they arrive in the New World. Author Mary Shields read excerpts from the book, and presents a lively program of games and activities, including make-and-take items to bring home. Keep your eyes out for a special visit from Barnicle and Husk in person! Appropriate for ages 5-11.

Thursday, February 22nd
Meet the Author Book Reading! – 10 to 11 am
Plymouth Rock talks! And the famous boulder has stories to share in The Secrets of Plymouth Rock by Diane Finn. Enjoy a reading of the book by the author, and participate in craft activities, including making your own googly-eyed Rock to bring home! Appropriate for ages 5-11.

Mayflower Trunk & Wampanoag Basket – 1 to 2 pm
Explore the everyday world of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans through their belongings. Help unpack the reproduction Mayflower passenger’s trunk and a Wampanoag family’s basket and participate in hands-on activities with educator Donna Curtin. Appropriate for ages 5-11.

Friday, February 23rd
Meet the Author Book Reading! – 10 to 11 am & 11 am to 12 pm
Author and illustrator Frimma Buckman reads her story, David the Bus Driver, and teaches the art of book illustration. Learn to write and illustrate a book yourself, and make one to take home! Appropriate for ages 5-11.

Mayflower Trunk & Wampanoag Basket – 1 to 2 pm
Explore the everyday world of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans through their belongings. Help unpack the reproduction Mayflower passenger’s trunk and a Wampanoag family’s basket and participate in hands-on activities with educator Donna Curtin.Appropriate for ages 5-11.

Women’s History Month at PHM
Lecture, 6:30 to 7:30 pm
How Pilgrim Women’s Work Saved Plymouth Colony
Sponsored by The Pinehills
Postponed to: Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Join early Americanists David Furlow and Lisa Pennington for a fresh look at how women may have impacted the survival and success of Plymouth Colony in this lively illustrated presentation. Furlow, editor of the Journal of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and an expert on Mayflower passenger Isaac Allerton, and Pennington, a trailblazing Texas attorney and advocate for women in the law, are keen investigators of the colonial world of the Pilgrims. Free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 pm; lecture begins at 6:30 pm.

Shipwrecked! An Irish Whiskey Tasting Event for the Sparrowhawk
Sponsored by Pioppi’s Package Store
Friday, March 16th, 6 to 8 pm

Celebrate Plymouth’s first Irish arrivals, who shipwrecked off the coast in 1626 aboard the vessel Sparrowhawk. Savor fine cask, barrel, and single malt whiskies and Irish-themed light appetizers at this special after-hours event at Pilgrim Hall Museum. Proceeds help fund deep research on the 17th-century shipwrecked remains of the Sparrowhawk, which has been part of Pilgrim Hall’s collection since 1889. Mingle with expert distillers, maritime historians, and get a close look at a selection of ancient ship timbers! Includes four tasting stations, mini-presentations on the historic shipwreck and trending Irish sips, as well as the chance to “adopt” a timber in support of the Sparrowhawk Research Project. Tickets are $22 per person, $20 members. Cash bar available for wine, beer and other beverages.

SOLD OUT!

April Lecture Series – Wednesday mornings
Sponsored by Brabo Benefits and Powder Horn Press

Join us for light refreshments and new perspectives on a range of historical topics each Wednesday morning this month.

April 4th, 10 am, Hurrah for the Pumpkin Pie! - Kathleen Wall
We may say "as American as apple pie," but pumpkin (also known as pompion or squash), is the real native fruit. It was also on New England tables before apple pie and therein lies the tale presented by Kathleen Wall, Colonial Foodways Culinarian at Plimoth Plantation. Wall celebrates Eat Pie for Breakfast Day far more often than annually, has participated in the South Shore Locavore Pie Making Marathon since 2014, and was a judge at the Hawley's Gentleman's Pie and Tart Extravanganza.

April 11th, 10 am, The Plymouth Tapestry - Elizabeth Creeden
Expert needleworker Elizabeth Creeden reveals Pilgrim Hall Museum's 400th anniversary project to tell the Plymouth story in a heroically-scaled needlework piece. The multimedia-thread-on-linen Plymouth Tapestry will encompass 20 six-foot-long panels illustrating the experiences of Pilgrim settlers and Wampanoag residents of early Plymouth. Embroiderers (beginner to experienced) will have an opportunity to participate in stitching this epic history. Creeden, proprietor of Wellingsley Studios and the project designer, describes the process of creating a participatory commemorative artwork for Plymouth's 400th anniversary.

April 18th, 10 am, Cape Cod's Oldest Shipwreck: The Desperate Crossing of the Sparrow-Hawk - Mark Wilkins
Historian, author, and former director of the Cape Cod Maritime Museum, Mark Wilkins has published widely on maritime history, including a study of the famed 17th-century shipwreck known as the Sparrow-Hawk, in the collection of Pilgrim Hall Museum since 1889. Learn the context of the vessel's ill-fated voyage to New England's shores in 1626 and the story of its recovery as a rare and compelling artifact of early colonial America.

April 25th, 10 am, Aquinnah Reflections, Linda Coombs
A member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Martha's Vineyard), where she was born and raised, historian and educator Linda Coombs shares reflections on the Aquinnah people before and after colonization. Coombs is program director of the Aquinnah Cultural Center, a frequent consultant for her expertise on regional Native American history, and a board member of Plymouth 400 Inc. and Pilgrim Hall Museum.

Refreshments at 9:30 am; lecture at 10 am.
April lectures are free and open to the public; $5 suggested donation.
For more information, call 508-746-1620 or contact donna.curtin@pilgrimhall.org.

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
Beyond the Gravestone: Monuments & Memorials on Burial Hill
Saturday, April 7th - rescheduled from March 3rd

Some of the most prominent monuments on Burial Hill are not gravestones, but memorials erected long after the lifetimes of the individuals they commemorate. Join Dr. Anne Mason, Executive Director of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society, on this one-hour tour highlighting memorials erected between 1835 and 1930 to commemorate Pilgrim forefathers and Revolutionary War patriots.

Tours begin at 1 pm at the top of the Hill. Free and open to the public. Burial Hill: History in Progress is a collaborative program presented in partnership with the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. Visit our Facebook pages for last-minute updates, including weather cancellations.

Backroads of the South Shore 14th Annual History Symposium
Coastal Colony: The 17th Century on the South Shore
Saturday, April 14th — 9:30 am to 3 pm
The Spire Center for the Performing Arts, 25 Court Street, Plymouth

Plymouth Colony existed independently for 71 years, from 1620 to the merger of Plymouth Colony with Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. The “Old Colony” covered most of southeastern Massachusetts, a region inhabited by Native peoples for generations before European settlement. Explore the 17th-century development of area at this conference sponsored by the Back Roads of the South Shore, a local consortium of small historical societies and museums. Regional historians discuss Wampanoag communities, describe recent archaeological excavations, and use surviving artifacts to shed light on the past. Richard Pickering, Deputy Executive Director of Plimoth Plantation, gives the keynote presentation, “Plymouth Colony and American Innovation.”

$15 admission includes morning refreshments. Registration begins at 9 am; program begins at 9:30 am. Reservations recommended. For more information or to reserve tickets, contact Anne Reilly Mason, Director of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society, 508 746-0012 or pasm@verizon.net

Kids Week – April Vacation 2018
Sponsored by The Edgar and Pauline Main Family Foundation
Monday-Friday, April 16-20, 2018

Bring the youngsters for special weekday performances and events, plus daily Treasure Hunt activities throughout vacation week. Kids Week programs are entertaining and educational for young learners, and there's plenty for grown-ups to explore at Pilgrim Hall Museum, too - it's a great experience for the whole family!

Monday, April 16th - 1 pm - "Brenner's Magical Mystery Show"
Magician Stephen Brenner captivates youngsters with a high-energy presentation of magic and mystery! Appropriate for all ages.

Tuesday, April 17th - 1 pm - "Barnicle & Husk"
Discover Barnicle and Husk: The Adventure Begins. In 1620, Barnicle the cat finds himself on the Mayflower along with 102 Pilgrims and a little mouse named Husk. In the New World, cat and mouse become unexpected friends. Author Mary Shields read excerpts from the book, and presents a lively program of games and activities, including make-and-take items to bring home. Keep your eyes out for a special visit from Barnicle and Husk in person! Appropriate for ages 5-11.

Wednesday, April 18th - 1 pm - "Native American Book Readings"
Enjoy Native American book readings and themed craft activities with educators Judy Fosdick and Tedda Lindeman, while gathered in PHM's new Wampanoag World exhibition. Appropriate for ages 5-11.

Thursday, April 19th - 1 pm - "Rhythm Speaks Drum Circle"
Percussionist Ed Sorrentino brings the beat with an array of authentic West African drums to get everyone in rhythm! Appropriate for all ages.

Friday, April 20th - 1 pm - "Big Ryan's Tall Tales"
Dynamic performer Big Ryan brings stories to life for all ages with puppets, music, and plenty of zazzle! Appropriate for all ages.

Students and children under 18 admitted FREE!
Admission for adults is $12, $10 for seniors.
Free for residents of Plymouth or members of Pilgrim Hall Museum.
Groups of 10 or more must call for reservations: (508) 746-1620, ext. 4
All Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
From Psalms to Marching Bands: Community Music in Plymouth
Saturday, May 5th

Many of the now silent residents of Burial Hill were once alive with the sound of music! Encounter Plymouth’s historical music-makers on a one-hour guided tour by Dr. Anne Mason, Executive Director of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

Tours begin at 1 pm at the top of the Hill. Free and open to the public. Burial Hill: History in Progress is a collaborative program presented in partnership with the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. Visit our Facebook pages for last-minute update

ArtWeek at PHM
Presented by the Highland Street Foundation
Pilgrim Hall Museum participates in Artweek, featuring unexpected and creative experiences all across the state from April 27th through May 6th. Look for details at ArtWeekMA.org.

Plymouth ArtWeek
Make Your Own Pilgrimage
May 4th, 5th & 6th, 10 to 2 pm
Free with Museum Admission - purchase tickets here.

The scallop shell is a traditional symbol of pilgrimage, representing a physical and spiritual journey. On May 4th-6th, Pilgrim Hall Museum becomes the setting for visitors to embark on a pilgrimage into Plymouth history through the lens of art. Meet with docents at “scallop stations” placed throughout the museum galleries to learn unexpected insights into historical artworks depicting the Pilgrim story. At each stop, collect a paper growth ring representing your unfolding journey. Not all will follow the same route, but all trails will lead to a culminating activity where visitors will be able to put their rings together to form a completed shell and record their own reflections on pilgrimage.

Plymouth ArtWeek
Living Embarkation Tableau at PHM!
Sunday, May 6th, 1 pm
Free with Museum Admission - purchase tickets here.

Join us for a revival of one of the 19th-century’s most popular pastimes: the historical tableau! We’re recreating a live scene of artist Charles Lucy’s monumental painting Embarkation of the Pilgrims, depicting the Pilgrims’ emotional departure from Holland on their journey to America in 1620. The painting includes depictions of Mayflower Pilgrims William and Dorothy Bradford, Elder William Brewster, and their pastor John Robinson. Bring your own accessories and help us stage a living tableau in the Museum with the original painting as backdrop! #LivePilgrimTableau

Adopt-An-Artifact Exhibition
Sponsored By Plymouth Cultural Council
Opening Friday, May 18th through Sunday May 20th

Fifth-grade Plymouth students from Cold Spring Elementary School are the creators of a unique exhibition based on their own in-depth exploration of Pilgrim Hall Museum’s collection. View creative representations of the museum’s treasures and meet the young curators during a special exhibition.

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
Juneteenth: African-American Stories in the Graveyard
Saturday, June 2nd

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. We honor the event by celebrating the history and experiences of Plymouth’s African-American residents, on a one-hour guided tour by Dr. Donna Curtin, Executive Director of Pilgrim Hall Museum.

Tours begin at 1 pm at the top of the Hill. Free and open to the public. Burial Hill: History in Progress is a collaborative program of Pilgrim Hall Museum and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. Visit our Facebook pages for last-minute updates, including weather cancellations.

Gilligan’s Island Shipwrecked Summer Party & Clambake
Sponsored by Blue Hills Bank
Music Sponsor - With Integrity Wealth Management
Wine Table Sponsor - Long Pond Custom Builder
Treasures of the Sea Sponsor - Richard & Deanna Nealey
Saturday, June 16th, 5 to 9 pm

Enjoy the best of New England at Pilgrim Hall Museum’s annual summer party and clambake, held at a magnificent seaside venue on Plymouth Bay. Channel your inner Gilligan, Skipper or Mary Ann and have a lobster-liciously good time, all while helping to support America’s oldest continuous public museum. We’ll also be celebrating one of the earliest surviving American shipwrecks, the 1626 Sparrowhawk, in the Museum collection since 1889 - adopt a timber! Silent and live auction, live music, cash bar. Casual castaway attire. For information, call 508-746-1620, ext. 7 or email robin.nutter@pilgrimhall.org.
* SOLD OUT *

Rescheduled from March!
Lecture, How Pilgrim Women’s Work Saved Plymouth Colony
Sponsored by The Pinehills
Tuesday, June 26th, 6:30 to 7:30 pm

Join early Americanists David Furlow and Lisa Pennington for a fresh look at how women may have impacted the survival and success of Plymouth Colony in a lively illustrated presentation. Furlow, editor of the Journal of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and an expert on Mayflower passenger Isaac Allerton, and Pennington, a trailblazing Texas attorney and advocate for women in law, are keen investigators of the colonial world of the Pilgrims. Free and open to the public. Doors open at 6 pm; lecture begins at 6:30 pm.

Free Fun Friday
Sponsored by Highland Street Foundation
Friday, July 6th

Pilgrim Hall Museum is participating in the annual Free Fun Fridays program sponsored by the Highland Street Foundation. Soak up the history and enjoy family-friendly activities all day – free admission!
Free Fun Fridays is a program that includes 85 museums and cultural venues across Massachusetts. For the full program schedule and to learn more about Free Fun Fridays, visit www.highlandstreet.org.

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
Colonial Coffins, Graves, and Funerals
Saturday, July 7th

Local historian Stephen O’Neill digs deep into colonial funeral customs and practice in a one-hour exploration of Plymouth’s ancient burying ground.

Tours begin at 1 pm at the top of the Hill. Free and open to the public. Burial Hill: History in Progress is a collaborative program of Pilgrim Hall Museum and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. Visit our Facebook pages for last-minute updates, including weather cancellations.

Ribbon Cutting - Restored Steinway Library
Thursday, July 26th, 4 to 6 pm

We are cutting the ribbon to reopen a piece of history - the 1905 Steinway Memorial Library at Pilgrim Hall Museum, freshly restored to original glory. Savor light refreshments and a deep sense of history in these grand surrounds, with vaulted Guastavino ceiling, 100-year-old terrazzo-and-tile floors, and verdigree finish original steel bookcases, chock full of rare volumes dating to Pilgrim times. The reinstalled portrait of one of Plymouth's greatest luminaries will be unveiled in a brief presentation; other portraits in need of conservation are available for "adoption."

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
Epitaphs Curious & Common
Saturday, August 4th

One of the great delights of wandering among old grave markers is encountering the epitaphs inscribed on them, often intended as messages to posterity. Roam through a range of these carved texts from the past, from curious to conventional, with Dr. Donna Curtin, Executive Director of Pilgrim Hall Museum, as your guide.

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
Plymoutheans Abroad: Stories of Overseas Travel
Saturday, September 1st

Enjoy ocean vistas and stories of Plymoutheans who traveled the seas, presented by Dr. Anne Mason, Executive Director of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

PHM 194th Birthday
Free Admission & Birthday cake for everyone!
Generously sponsored by Newfield House
Saturday, September 1st

Celebrate the Pilgrim Hall Museum’s 194th birthday with a piece of delicious birthday cake, served on the front portico from 11 am to 1 pm. Free admission all day, open 9:30am to 4:30pm.

Rare Book Lecture & Appraisal
Sponsored by John and Gretchen Moran and Evelyn Strawn
Thursday, September 6th, 6:30-8:00 pm

Learn about rare books from expert Kenneth Gloss of the internationally famed Brattle Book Shop in Boston MA, and bring in a book treasure for appraisal. Gloss honed his expertise from childhood in his family-owned book business, and is a frequent guest appraiser on PBS' Antiques Roadshow.
$10 admission; free for members!
Purchase tickets here.

Women 100 Plymouth - A Digital Archive of Local Women's History
Community Documentation Days!
Saturday, September 15th, 10 am to 3 pm
Sunday, September 30th, 10 am to 3 pm

Help document the history of Plymouth women! Members of the public are invited to bring in photographs and other materials on the women who shaped their lives - mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, sisters, friends, teachers, mentors, leaders, and colleagues. Materials will be digitized by the Museum's archival team and become part of a permanent Museum archive.

1620 Club Cocktail Reception
Sponsored by Brabo Benefits
Thursday, September 20th, 5 to 7 pm

This social gathering celebrates Museum supporters who contribute $1620 or more annually to help Pilgrim Hall Museum flourish!

Museum Day
Saturday, September 22nd, 9:30am-4:30pm

Pilgrim Hall Museum will open its doors free of charge to all Museum Day ticketholders on Saturday September 22, 2018 as part of Smithsonian magazine's 14th annual Museum Day, a national celebration of boundless curiosity in which participating museums emulate the free admission policy at the Smithsonian Institution's Washington DC-based museums.

Museum Day tickets are available for download at Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay. Visitors who present a Museum Day ticket will gain free entrance for two. One ticket is permitted per email address. A list of participating museums, which is continually updated as more museums continue to register, can be found at Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay/Search.

October Evening Lecture Series
Sponsored by Mutual Bank
Light refreshments at 6:30 pm; lecture begins at 7 pm

Learn the latest on Plymouth archeology, Wampanoag women's history, and South Shore witches during our fall series.

Lectures are held on Wednesday evening unless noted otherwise.
October lectures are free and open to the public; $5 suggested donation.
For more information, call 508-746-1620 or contact donna.curtin@pilgrimhall.org.

1624 Politics in Plymouth Colony
Wednesday, October 3
Richard Pickering, Deputy Executive
Director, Plimoth Plantation

Richard Pickering of Plimoth Plantation explores the connections of the Pilgrims to the political theory and pragmatic experience of Renaissance Italy. Many people might be surprised to learn that William Brewster, the ruling elder of the Plymouth congregation, owned Machiavelli's The Prince and Governor Bradford owned a history of Italy. Early New England resembled Italian city states in some ways, with civil commonwealths vying for resources. Pickering tracks these Renaissance influences and the tensions they may have generated in early Plymouth.

The House on Burial Hill: A First
Glimpse from the 2018 Excavation
Wednesday, October 10
Dr. David Landon, Associate Director,
Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research,
University of Massachusetts Boston

As part of a multi-year study of Plymouth Colony sites, UMass Boston archaeologists uncovered the first intact sections of a 17th-century building this summer on the edge of Plymouth’s Burial Hill. The structural remains date to the first half of the 17th century and appear to be part of the original Plymouth Colony settlement. Learn the details of this important discovery and what it means for the on-going Plymouth Colony archaeological survey.

Beloved Cousins and Protectors:
Native Women Leaders before and
during King Philip’s War
Thursday, October 18
Dr. Lisa Brooks, Professor of English &
American Studies, Amherst College

Lisa Brooks considers Native women’s leadership in a lecture based on her new book, Our Beloved Kin. Brooks describes the contest of war, captivity, and Native resistance during the “First Indian War” (King Philip’s War) through the intertwined stories of Weetamoo, a female Wampanoag leader, and Nipmuc scholar James Printer. Drawing on archival research, landscape analysis, and tribal histories, Brooks’ pathbreaking scholarship offers new insights into colonial New England and the origins of America.

Film Screening, Landing of the Pilgrims:
Restoring Sargent’s Monumental Painting
Wednesday, October 24

The Pilgrim Society premieres a new short film, Landing of the Pilgrims: Restoring Sargent’s Monumental Painting. American artist Henry Sargent’s The Landing of the Pilgrims has hung in Pilgrim Hall Museum since its opening in 1824. An early milestone of American historical painting for its subject, size and execution, the painting had been on display for 191 years, when a team of conservators restored it in situ, with the visiting public as audience. The restored painting was unveiled in summer 2015. Filmmaker Wes Ennis presents the film, which provides an in-depth look at the work done to conserve Sargent’s Pilgrim masterpiece.

Witches of Plymouth
Wednesday, October 31
Dr. Donna Curtin, Executive Director, PHM

Could Plymouth have ever been Salem? Belief in witchcraft was part of the 17th century worldview of the Pilgrims, and there were accusations of witchcraft in early Plymouth. Curtin describes the English folklore and traditions that shaped New England witch trials, and examines the stories of Plymouth’s accused witches to suggest how the Pilgrim settlement avoided the hysteria that later enflamed Massachusetts Bay.

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
Finding Early Plymouth: An Archeological View of Burial Hill
Saturday, October 6th

Dr. David Landon shares the latest research from a multi-year study of Plymouth Colony sites conducted by UMass Boston archaeologists. Learn about this summer's exciting discovery of the first intact sections of a 17th-century building on the edge of Burial Hill.

Tours begin at 1 pm at the top of the Hill. Free and open to the public. Burial Hill: History in Progress is a collaborative program of Pilgrim Hall Museum and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. Visit our Facebook pages for last-minute updates, including weather cancellations.

Scurvy Dog Rum Tasting
Sponsored by Pioppi's Package Store.
Thursday, October 11th, 6:30-8:30 pm

Soak up pirate lore and lingo during an evening of rum tasting and scurrilous fun! Savor fine Caribbean rum, encounter costumed rogues, and enjoy a pirate talk by buccaneer expert Stephen O’Neill. Includes tastings of Plantation Rum by a French-owned rum producer who bottle rums from all over the Caribbean, including some finished in cognac casks, and spirits made from scratch by Mad River Distillers, located in the heart of the Green Mountains and committed to local producers and sustainable agriculture. Be on guard for a motley crew of costumed 17th-century pirates, portrayed by members of Plymouth’s costumed militia band, the New Plimmoth Gard, who will give you lessons on pirate invective. A highlight of the evenings is a mini-lecture, "Company Somewhat Sober: Pirates, Rum, and Drinking," by local historian Stephen O’Neill, who reveals how pirates and rum have always been closely connected, from Blackbeard to Captain Jack Sparrow.
Tickets $40/$35 members.
Purchase tickets here.

Governor Bradford's Journal - A Living Journey Through One of Early America's Most Important Sources
Sponsored by the Plymouth Historical Alliance
Friday, October 19, 6 to 8 pm

Creative presentations of Governor Bradford's 400-year-old journal, documenting the Pilgrims' experiences in the founding of Plymouth Colony. Bradford's authentic words come alive in a participatory evening of song, readings, and re-enactment.

Pirate Book Talk
Friday, October 26th is POSTPONED due to Red Sox fever!
Please check back for new date and time.

Acclaimed author Eric Jay Dolin (Leviathan) presents tales of America’s most notorious pirates from his new book, Black Flag, Blue Waters.
Copies available for purchase and signing.

Reservations requested. For more information, please contact Denise Giblin at 508-746-1620, ext. 4 or email visit-us@pilgrimhall.org

Family Halloween in Downtown Plymouth
Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday, October 31st, 4 to 6 pm

Pilgrim Hall Museum opens its doors to costumed trick-or-treaters during this downtown community celebration for Plymouth area families.

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
The Stonecarver’s Art
Saturday, November 3rd

Guided walking tour with Dr. Donna Curtin, Executive Director of Pilgrim Hall Museum.

Tours begin at 1 pm at the top of the Hill. Free and open to the public. Burial Hill: History in Progress is a collaborative program of Pilgrim Hall Museum and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. Visit our Facebook pages for last-minute updates, including weather cancellations.

Succotash with Paula Marcoux - Members Only!
Wednesday, November 7th, 6:30 to 8 pm

Pilgrim Hall Museum members are invited to learn the true story of Plymouth's signature historical dish, succotash, and taste the real deal! Rich, savory and delicious, this locally sourced version makes it clear why succotash was a New England favorite for generations.

Tickets $10 members. Purchase tickets here.

Not yet a member? Join here!

Women 100 Plymouth—A Digital Archive
of Local Women’s History
COMMUNITY DOCUMENTATION DAY
Tuesday, November 13th, 10 am to 3 pm

Help document the history of Plymouth women. Members of the public are invited to bring in photographs and other materials on the women who shaped their lives—mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, sisters, friends, teachers, mentors, leaders, and colleagues. Materials will be digitized by the Museum’s archival team and become part of a permanent archive.

621 Brunch & America’s Hometown
Thanksgiving Parade
Saturday, November 17th, 9:30 to 11 am

Members of the Museum’s 621 Club gather for a savory brunch and prime seating beneath our granite portico to view one of the nation’s top Thanksgiving parades. Join the Club and enjoy the festivities

Burial Hill Tour, 1st Saturday of the Month, 1 pm
Animal Tales
Saturday, December 1st

Guided walking tour with Dr. Anne Mason, Executive Director of the Plymouth Antiquarian Society.

Tours begin at 1 pm at the top of the Hill. Free and open to the public. Burial Hill: History in Progress is a collaborative program of Pilgrim Hall Museum and the Plymouth Antiquarian Society. Visit our Facebook pages for last-minute updates, including weather cancellations.

13th Annual
Holiday House Tour
Saturday, December 1st - Sunday, December 2nd; 10am-4pm (both days)
Includes Lunch at Plymouth Country Club

Pilgrim Hall Museum invites you to embrace the holiday spirit and enjoy a festive weekend tour of holiday homes. Join us on December 1st and 2nd as we celebrate our 13th annual Holiday House Tour in joyful style. Feel the warmth of the season while helping to preserve the museum’s superb early American collection and support its educational programs.

Advance Sale tickets are $50.00 each and are available for purchase by accessing the link below, by contacting the Museum Shop in person, or by calling 508-746-1620, x1.
Tickets purchased after Friday, November 16th are $55.00 each (until noon on Friday, November 30th).
Tickets purchased after noon Thursday, November 29th are $30.00 each and will include tour, but NO LUNCH.

THE LUNCHEON AT PLYMOUTH COUNTRY CLUB IS NOW SOLD OUT!

Ticket price covers admission for the entire weekend event and includes a delicious lunch at Plymouth Country Club as part of the holiday experience. Please choose either Saturday or Sunday for lunch.
Tickets are non-refundable. Lunch is served between 11:30am and 3:00pm each day.

Tickets will not be sold at the houses or Plymouth Country Club. Exact locations of houses on the Tour are kept confidential until the day of the tour. You must pick up the booklet and map that will serve as your ticket (and which reveal the locations of the houses) at Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court Street, Plymouth, MA, between 9:30am and 4:30pm on either Saturday, December 1st or Sunday, December 2nd. (The houses themselves will NOT open before 10:00am).

Holiday House Tour is generously sponsored by RE/MAX Spectrum
and media sponsor

Pilgrim Society Annual Meeting & 199th Forefathers Day “Dinner” – Lunch!
Friday, December 21st, 2018, 11:30 to 2pm
Hotel 1620 at Plymouth Harbor
180 Water Street, Plymouth

11:30am Reception with Succotash & Cash Bar
12:00pm Luncheon
1:00pm Special Presentation

This year's annual Forefathers Day Dinner is a daytime event with traditional succotash, lively mingling, a festive luncheon and a once-in-a-century program!

In 1820, Plymouth's 200th anniversary inspired the creation of Pilgrim Hall Museum, now America's oldest continuous public museum and a national cultural treasure!

In 1920, Plymouth's historic waterfront was recreated as a memorial to the Pilgrims & early Plymouth.

In 2020 - what lasting legacy will commemorate 400 years of America's story?

A Special Presentation By

The Pilgrim Society and Plymouth 400 Inc

to announce a permanent legacy project for 2020
to commemorate the quadricentennial anniversary
of Plymouth's Colony's founding.

Seating by advance prepaid reservation only.

THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT!!

Forefathers Day is Generously Supported by Hotel 1620 at Plymouth Harbor.
Wine sponsored by Pioppi's Package Store.

Looking toward the Future!
In 2020, we will commemorate the 400th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth
(and the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Pilgrim Society).
You can learn more about the plans already being developed by visiting the Plymouth 400 web site at: www.plymouthma400.org