Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum

Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum

Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum
4.5
Speciality MuseumsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
Closed
About
In the 19th Century, hundreds of ships passed by Nantucket Island each day, all navigating without the benefit of modern nautical technology. Fog, storms, and treacherous shoals led to over 750 shipwrecks in the waters surrounding Nantucket. The Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum preserves the memory of those Islanders who risked their lives to save shipwrecked mariners. These men served in organizations such as the Massachusetts Humane Society, U.S. Life-Saving Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard. The Museum is located at 158 Polpis Road, just 3.5 miles from Nantucket Town, and is easily reached by car, The WAVE, or our free Shipwreck Shuttle pick up at the Visitors Service on Federal Street from June on, or by bike on the Polpis Road Bike Path.
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What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles194 reviews
Excellent
149
Very good
42
Average
1
Poor
1
Terrible
1

Brad Pande
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
"You must go out but you don't have to come back." Early lifesaver's credo. The precursor to US Coast Guard. We arranged for their free shuttle bus that picks you up less than a block from the Whaling museum. Two museums back-to-back highly recommended. Tony our tour guide gave a compelling tour of the hundreds of ship wrecks around Nantucket Island, and the men who put their lives at risk to save them. Although a compact museum, Tony our free tour guide made it more impactful than the unguided Whaling museum for me. Also, the 15 minute drive from down town to the museum gives you a better perspective of the overall beauty of the island.
Written July 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Donald
Hingham, MA1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
The combination of knowledgeable guides and informative videos in the movie room ensures a visit to this Shipwreck& Lifesaving Museum is not only educational but also engaging and unforgettable experience. It is a place where history comes to life through the compelling narratives showcased in the videos and the expertise of the guides in their informative comments. The actual remnants on display are fascinating.
Written October 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Terry Anzur
Jupiter, FL1,874 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Friends
This was a pleasant way to spend part of a rainy afternoon on Nantucket. There was a new exhibit about how the Coast Guard battled bootleggers during Prohibition, when the island pretty much functioned as a speakeasy. Definitely take some time to watch a couple of the films in the small screening room. It will make the exhibits of lifesaving boats and other equipment more meaningful. Brave rescuers risked their lives in awful conditions to save shipwreck survivors in the times before motorized equipment. Kids will love the story of the huge Newfoundland dog who was rescued and ended up staying with a Nantucket family. Guided tour is an option included with your ticket, but we enjoyed just browsing on our own.
Written July 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gene R J
Silver Spring, MD10,960 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
After arriving on the Hyannis Ferry, we walked to the Visitor’s Center and discovered the free shuttle should start in July. So we walked 2 blocks to the Main Street taxi stand for a $17 ride to this museum, beautifully sited above the Fulling Mill Creek estuary. To its side is a working 1857 Fresnel lens from the 1818 Greatpoint Lighthouse. After using a credit card, $14 for 2 seniors, we were given a choice of a full or brief tour, then guided along the historic pictures of the area’s shipwrecks and the building of the lifesaving service that became the US Coastguard. Special exhibits; the 1956 wreck of the 1951 Andrea Doria with the loss of 46 passengers(and a futuristic Chrysler-Ghia car), the “faking bin” to assemble the cannon line to shoot to the wrecked ship, actual 19th C surfboat and life-car. This is an excellent museum operated by knowledgeable and helpful docents with special thanks to Laura for helping with our transportation problems.
Written June 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your visit and kind words. Our free Shipwreck Shuttle will be operating from the Visitor Center from Mondays through Saturdays starting 1 July until October 15h. Laura was pleased to help get you back to town and continue your exploration of our beautiful island.
Written June 6, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

jclin10
New York City, NY138 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
This is a small, but very informative, gem of a museum, tucked away in the heart of Nantucket island. They have an extraordinary collection of actual artifacts from olden times, and we happened to arrive when a docent was taking a small group around to see the various exhibits, and he made maritime history come alive. There was also a fun special exhibit about how Nantucket dealt with Prohibition.
Written August 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Debsteryx
Franklin, WI48 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
This museum is a tribute to how shipwreck lifesaving was started and developed into our modern Coast Guard. It is well executed with many displays, stories, and videos. The polished building and scenic natural grounds are a perfect place for a bring your own picnic with tables and very nice places for kids to play. Take the free shuttle bus from the Nantucket Visitors Center for an worthwhile experience.
Written July 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stephen K
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
Both adults and children will enjoy this little gem of a museum. Volunteer docents will show you around and explain the interesting stories of how Nantucketers, over the years, have risked their own lives to save people on ships and fishing-boats that were foundering in storms or run aground on one of the many shoals that surround the island. There are also short films that go into these fascinating human dramas. The museum has a nice little gift shop. There is free parking, but those without a car can reach the museum on the free shuttle that runs from town in the summer. Do go see it -- you will have a very pleasant time!
Written July 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am glad that you enjoyed your visit. Thank you for the lovely review. We hope to see you again.
Written July 30, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

AdProf
Laguna Niguel, CA75 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
A tribute to the people who ventured out to save lives when Whaling ship disasters happened, this museum is well off the beaten path, but also well worth the visit. Our visit started with a volunteer who gave us a complete, brief, concise and truly informative verbal download on the museum, its purpose and some of the key things to take in. It was a perfect "table-setter" to the rest of our relaxed tour of the museum. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Written September 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lindell G
Tampa, FL16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Couples
To begin with you get a free ride from the visitor center to the museum. The driver Leanne was delightful and very informative. The museum was very educational and Tom explained all the lifesaving devices used in the last 300 years. It’s a must see if visiting Nantucket.
Written October 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

marycurtin
Boston, MA4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
What a noble and fascinating place! A few days ago, my husband and I spent 3 hours there, and still feel that we didn’t take it all in. Certainly requires another visit or two or three. So interesting to know that the Humane Society of Massachusetts was initially established back in the 1700’s specifically to rescue the survivors of shipwrecks and ships in distress. The Museum is a strong reminder that humans do have it in them to help out others in times of need, even if, in the case of saving lives, it means putting themselves at risk to save another. For centuries, rescuing survivors of shipwrecks has been a serious and dangerous mission on Nantucket. Very hardy brave citizens.
Written August 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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