CAPE COD MUSEUMS
APTUCXET MUSEUM COMPLEX
Bourne, Massachusetts 02532
The Museums at Aptucxet is a 12-acre campus on the banks of the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne, MA consisting of buildings and gardens that collectively tell the story of local history from the 1600's through today. The main museum building is the Aptucxet Trading Post, a replica of the Pilgrim Trading Post built by Plymouth Colony in 1627 to trade with the local Wampanoag people and traveling Dutch traders. The property also includes the 19th-century Gray Gables Railroad Station, which served President Grover Cleveland during his summer holidays and the Joseph Jefferson Windmill, which was originally an art studio for the actor Joseph Jefferson and has recently served as an Art Gallery and studio for local artists.
On site, visitors will also find an artisan shop, a replica of 19th-century saltworks, a Colonial Herb Garden, A Three Sisters Garden and a Wildflower Garden, picnic tables, walking trails, and unmatched views of the Canal. Events change monthly.
Did you know?
The Aptucxet Trading Post represents the first free enterprise in America. It was at Aptucxet that the Pilgrims built their first trading house as a way station to acquire Native American-made "wampum" (a type of shell bead) and supply it to Plymouth Colony, which traded it for animal furs - like currency - with Native Americans in the North. Aptucxet Trading Post was destroyed in 1635 during one of the worst hurricanes on record.
Aptucxet Trading Post Museum Complex is open Memorial Day Weekend through Columbus Day Weekend.
Open by appointment for private tours and school groups year round. Contact BourneHistoricalSociety@comcast.net or call 508-759-8167 for more information.
The Bourne Historical Society, Inc., is a not-for-profit organization. The charge for admission to the Aptucxet Trading Post Museum and its grounds are:
| Adults | $6.00 |
| Children 6-18 | $4.00 |
| Seniors, Military and AAA | $5.00 |
| Groups of 10+ | $5.00 each |
| Family | $12.00 |
Special rates are available for students and pre-arranged group tours 508-759-8167. We have a turnaround for buses to drop visitors off at the Trading Post, with a parking area near the Trading Post Gift Shop.