Plimouth Patuxet is a reconstructed Pilgrim village in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The village is set up to look like it did in the 1600s. There are actors dressed in period clothing, who answer questions and tell stories of life in this authentic Pilgrim town. You can pair a visit to the Plymouth Patuxet Museums with your trip to Plymouth Rock as they are very close together. The Mayflower II is also in this area, and you can save money by getting a combination ticket for both.
Historic Patuxet Homesite
When you enter the Visitor Center for the Plimouth Patuxet Museums, you will be given instructions on the route. First, you’ll visit a small area focused on the indigenous people from the area. There is a really cool house built of bark. When you venture inside, you’ll sit on comfortable fur seats and hear about their culture and practice. Outside the house, there are volunteers to help you play a few simple games and to answer questions. There are some amazing dugout canoes as well.
The Craft Center
Next you’ll come to the craft center. This is where the artisans create art and crafts typical to those in the 1600s. We wandered through for a few minutes and looked in the gift shop and watched the artisans who were there working.
17th Century Village
Farther up the trail is a large fort that is similar to the one built in Plymouth Plantation. You can go upstairs and look out at the village below.
Down in the village are half a dozen houses with displays as well as around a dozen actors in period clothing. Make sure to interact with each as they all have information for you. They answer questions or talk about their tasks. We saw them weaving, picking berries, planting, and doing woodwork. These interactions were the best part of Plimouth Patuxet. We helped change the straw mattresses in one house and learned about someone’s garden at another.
There is a small building set up as a children’s center with interactive activities. This is a perfect spot for toddlers and young kids.
Visitor Center and Restaurant
There is a Visitor Center with a lot of information. There are also some interesting displays with historical information about the pilgrims. Plimouth Patuxet also has a small restaurant and a large gift shop to spend some time in.
We enjoyed our visit to Plimouth Patuxet Museums. It was a great way for our boys to learn a little about life in the 1600’s. Make sure to pair this activity with the Mayflower II. For all of the details on tickets and hours, check out their website: Plimouth Patuxet Museums.
