Brian M.
Yelp
I don't know why I thought this was going to be a disaster. I really don't know why. I sorta had this thought in my head that I'd show up and be greeted by some rough former sailboat captain with a chip on his shoulder, still spinning stories of the big whale that got away. I imagined dust covered artifacts and broken display cases and scratchy 3-for-$10 tshirts. Again, no idea why I thought this way, but I'm bitter and from NYC, so there's that.
This place was awesome. The museum is small but beautifully curated and designed. The brochure contains a simple, clear map, and the museum couldn't be cleaner. It was great seeing replica's of Captain's quarters, artifacts from expeditions from Ptown explorers, learning about the Portuguese influence (and how it basically saved Ptown), and even seeing letters from past presidents celebrating and honoring the monument. It was a very full and complete experience and well worth the $12.
And then there's the monument. You HAVE to go up it. YOU, yes YOU. If you're there and you're "afraid" or you "don't think you can make it all the way up," too bad. Just do it. For starters, it's easy. It's mostly ramps. And, you can take your time schlepping up there and no one says anything. It's a gorgeous view at the top (though they could clean the windows a bit more frequently). It'll take you 13 minutes to go up it, max. You even get an "I Climbed The Monument" sticker when you're done. So, do it, and stop being a baby.
The gift shop is great, too, and loaded with interesting books, ceramics, tshirts, candy, etc. All presented beautifully and organized well.
A real highlight of my week in Ptown.