Children's Museums

Mystic Seaport Museum

Name: Mystic Seaport Museum
Address: 75 Greenmanville Ave, Mystic, CT 06355, Mystic, CT, US
Telephone: (860) 572-0711
Rating: 4.6

★★★★☆ 4.6 (4302 reviews)

📍 75 Greenmanville Ave, Mystic, CT 06355

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🕐 Hours

Quick Facts

Type: Maritime Museum
Best For: All ages, families
Highlights: Historic ships, working shipyard, maritime exhibits, water activities, planetarium
Hours: Daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Location: Mystic, Connecticut

⭐The museum features the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship still in existence, which visitors can board and tour
⭐Mystic Seaport Museum is a recreation of a 19th-century maritime village with a working shipyard where visitors can watch demonstrations of period-accurate trades and see historic vessels being actively restored
⭐The museum offers free paddleboat and rowboat experiences on the water on certain days with entry tickets, providing interactive water-based activities
⭐The museum features a Treworgy Planetarium as part of its exhibits, integrating astronomy education with maritime history
⭐Current special exhibits include 'Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks' and 'Monstrous: Whaling and Its Colossal Impact,' demonstrating the museum's approach to making maritime history accessible through both creative and educational formats

🕐Visit during late spring, summer, or early fall for the full experience. Many buildings, exhibits, and demonstrations are closed or have limited access during winter months, significantly reducing what's available to explore.
💬Plan for a full day visit to adequately explore the historic ships, village buildings, working shipyard demonstrations, and exhibits. The museum is expansive enough to warrant 4-6 hours of exploration.
💡Take advantage of free paddleboat or rowboat use on certain days with your entry ticket—this is a unique interactive experience included with admission that many visitors miss. Also prioritize boarding the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship, as it's a highlight for families.
💡Kids will especially enjoy boarding historic schooners and watching skilled craftspeople actively restoring ships in the preservation shipyard. These hands-on and demonstration elements are educational highlights that engage younger visitors most effectively.
💬Consider membership if planning multiple visits—with 4.6-star ratings and year-round rotating events (summer camps, Wooden Boat Show, Smithsonian lecture series), the membership often pays for itself and provides access to special programming.