Pilgrim Hall Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pilgrim Hall
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Pilgrim Hall Museum, the oldest public museum in the United States
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| Location | 75 Court St Plymouth, Massachusetts |
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| Architect | Alexander Parris |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001298 |
| Added to NRHP | April 11, 1972 |
The Pilgrim Hall Museum is located at 75 Court Street in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It is the oldest public museum in the United States that has been open continuously. The museum first opened its doors in 1824.
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A Look Back: Museum History
The Pilgrim Society started the museum in 1820. This group still runs the museum today. The museum shares the amazing story of the Pilgrims. It also tells about the early Plymouth Colony.
Building Design and Changes
A famous architect named Alexander Parris designed the museum building. It was built using strong Quincy granite. The museum officially opened in 1824.
Later, in 1834, Russell Warren added a wooden front porch. This porch had tall, round columns. These columns supported a triangular roof section.
The museum got many updates in the 1880s. A new section for the library was added in 1904. In 1922, the old wooden porch was replaced. A new, grander stone front was built. It had six columns and looked like an ancient Greek temple. This new design was created by McKim Mead & White.
In 2008, the museum added another new section. They also put up a new sign. More activities and advertising were added around the downtown area. The museum building itself was recognized as important in 1972. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
What You Can See: Museum Collections
The Pilgrim Hall Museum has many interesting things to explore. It holds old artifacts, beautiful artwork, and a large library. There are also many historical documents in its archives.
Special Pilgrim Treasures
You can see original items from the Pilgrim era. One special item is the actual Brewster Chair. This chair belonged to Elder William Brewster, a Pilgrim leader.
The museum also has a portrait of Edward Winslow from 1651. This is the only known painting of a Pilgrim made while they were still alive. It gives us a real look at how a Pilgrim appeared.
Shipwreck and Plymouth Rock
The museum owns parts of the Sparrow Hawk ship. This ship wrecked off Cape Cod in 1626. It is the only known remains of a 17th-century ship that crossed the Atlantic Ocean. The Sparrow Hawk pieces are currently kept safely in storage.
A piece of Plymouth Rock was once in front of the museum. This was from the 1830s to the 1880s. Then, it was put back with the main part of the Rock at the Plymouth waterfront. However, a small piece of Plymouth Rock is still at the museum. Visitors can even touch it!
Gallery
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Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor, by William Halsall, 1882.
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Signing the Mayflower Compact, by Edward Percy Moran, c. 1900, is now in the collection of the Pilgrim Hall Museum
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The museum's 1651 portrait of Edward Winslow, the only known portrait of a Pilgrim painted from life
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The museum owns The Landing of the Pilgrims. by Henry A. Bacon, 1877
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The museum owns the original Elder Brewster Chair and Peregrine White cradle
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Pilgrim Museum in 1910 postcard
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Embarkation of the Pilgrims by Robert Weir, a copy is also located in the United States Capitol rotunda, Washington, DC
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the 1626 Sparrow-Hawk wreck is displayed at the museum
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A portion of Plymouth Rock on display at the museum
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See also
In Spanish: Museo Pilgrim Hall para niños
