Museum Directory

The Coast Guard Heritage Museum is located in the historic 1856 U.S. Customs House on the scenic Kings Highway (Rt 6A) in Barnstable Village.     The museum contains many extraordinary exhibits, with a particular emphasis on the service’s local roots and the Cape’s role in shaping today’s modern Coast Guard.

The museum’s campus includes an operating blacksmith shop and America’s oldest wooden jail (circa 1695).  A mini-theater offers films about local Coast Guard history.  There is also a “selfie” photo station for visitor use and a recording station for collecting oral histories.

Two floors of exhibits cover the history of Coast Guard’s predecessor organizations including U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, U.S. Lighthouse Service, and the U.S. Lifesaving Service, all having 18^th century roots here in Massachusetts.

Did you know that:

The first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean departed from Cape Cod in 1919 piloted by a Coast Guard officer?

Our newest exhibit tells the story of two of Coast Guard pilots assigned to NASA to serve on multiple Space Shuttle flights.  One of these astronauts, Captain Dan Burbank – a Cape Cod resident, spent over 7 months on the International Space Station.

Audio tours are available and docents are usually on hand for tours.  Our gift shop offers books, clothing, and a variety gift for both kids and adults.

 We are open from 1 May through 30 October, Tuesday to Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM.