Rainy weather shouldn’t render your Cape Cod vacation a washout. The region has a rich culture that can be explored at a variety of museums that feature maritime history, art, the local ties of its most famous resident, President John F. Kennedy, and much more.
So if the weather forecast has you searching for indoor activities, consider going on a “museum trail” that stretches from the bridges to the tip of the Cape in Provincetown.
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Center in Chatham tells you all you need to know about the great white shark, which has made its presence known in the area over the past decade. Through interactive exhibits, videos and displays, the center details groundbreaking research about one of Cape Cod’s most captivating summer residents.
The center also offers white shark excursions, where you will spend an hour cruising Chatham Harbor looking for evidence of a shark’s presence. Guests are given the opportunity to bring up a shark receiver and analyze the data to find out if any tagged white sharks have passed through. Trips are offered Monday and Wednesday mornings, starting July 5.
The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum Foundation details the 35th president’s deep connection to Cape Cod through videos, photographs and personal memorabilia that spans from 1934 to his assassination in 1963.
It shines a different light on JFK, as he relaxes with his family while sailing the ocean, playing touch football on the front lawn at his Hyannis Port summer home, and walking the fairways of the nearby Hyannisport Club golf course.
A video narrated by Walter Cronkite depicts the president’s experiences on the Cape, and there are several oral histories from JFK’s friends.
This summer’s reopening will feature a special exhibit commemorating the life of Robert F. Kennedy. Titled, “RFK: Ripple of Hope,” the exhibit includes rarely seen images of his time on Cape Cod, and also explores his experiences as attorney general and senator, culminating with his run for president in 1968.
The exhibit includes 45 images and excerpts from his speeches, including a poignant moment in April 1968, when he gave an impromptu speech to distraught onlookers the night Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.
