Uncover Your Artsy Side This Spring on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket
By StoryStudio on March 1, 2023
It’s almost springtime and Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are a beautiful canvas. When it comes to the arts scene in this coastal region, there is so much to discover, from world-class performances and eclectic galleries to fine art museums and historical landmarks. There are even plenty of creative workshops and classes to get you inspired!
This spring, plot your course to one or more of these cultural gems and let the Cape and Islands paint the picture.
History buffs have a home on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket — several, actually!
The Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum is a great place to set up camp for the day and take in all there is to learn about the Mayflower Pilgrims and the cultural shift caused by their arrival. Atop the 252-foot granite monument, built to commemorate the first landing of the Mayflower in 1620, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view that includes Cape Cod Bay, Provincetown Harbor and the Cape Cod National Seashore.
The Vineyard Preservation Trust will be your best friend when it comes to exploring the rich history of the island of Martha’s Vineyard. The trust is responsible for 20 historic sites on the island, including several iconic green spaces, farms, churches, and exhibitions that define the area’s charm and rich past. While several landmarks are constant and always welcome visitors, others house innovative and unique exhibitions.
Martha’s Vineyard Museum is another fantastic place to learn about the island’s history. The museum’s current exhibition, “Unfreedom,” is a response to the island’s history of injustice, exploring the interwoven stories of those who suffered from unfreedom, along with those who historically benefited from it. “Unfreedom” will run at the MV Museum through June 18, 2023.
Much of what visitors love most about Nantucket is time spent on the water. Dip into the waters of the past at the Egan Maritime Institute and experience a long history of seafaring, shipwrecks, and maritime discovery.
Dive into history
Museums are a fantastic place to spend the day, especially if you’re traveling with young children; however, there’s a certain joy in spending the day popping in and out of galleries. Galleries are spaces for curated selections in a more intimate environment, and often observers leave feeling more connected to art and the artist whose world they entered.
Over on the Vineyard, The Granary Gallery in West Tisbury is located inside an iconic red barn, housing the ideal experience for any serious art lover. Fine art paintings, still-life compositions, and photo realism are some of the styles on display in the barn as well as outside in the courtyard gallery. Just a quick drive away is Martha’s Vineyard Glassworks, a gallery for glass enthusiasts equipped with classes and workshops.
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It’s never too late to form new relationships. Classes and workshops are great opportunities to be creative, and many venues celebrate the importance of art in how it connects people. The Artists Association of Nantucket and Nantucket Island School of Design & the Arts are two such organizations that contribute to the vibrant arts community locally, offering classes, workshops, and speakers for adults and children of all ages.
The Featherstone Center for the Arts is also dedicated to fostering community through art, offering an extensive selection of art classes for adults in ceramics, drawing, fiber arts, mixed media, and several more focus areas.
The area also hosts events throughout the spring to celebrate local artisans and the greater art community. HyArts Shanties at Bismore Park and Harbor Overlook allows visitors an oceanside walkthrough of 12 colorful seaside shanties. All art is handmade, designed, crafted, or made by members of the Cape Cod community.
Classes, workshops, and avenues for engagement abound
Plan your visit
Widely known as the area’s hub for cultural and artistic celebration, the Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis has an everchanging list of fine art exhibitions to pique the interest of any visitor. The museum, surrounded by a unique outdoor sculpture garden, is home to seven different galleries and a film screening room.
The world of glass awaits at the Sandwich Glass Museum, an organization with a beautiful mission to preserve the history of Sandwich, the oldest town on Cape Cod, and the role it has played in American glass production. Make time to explore the museum’s intricate collection of vintage glass, and witness glassblowers hard at work.
Find yourself amid the brushstrokes
Plan your visit
Plan your visit
Live events are all the rage, and an eventful spring sets the stage for a great summer. Experiencing a shared interest together is a powerful expression of passion, creating memories that continue to inspire us when it’s time to return to our normal lives. The Nantucket Book Festival will take place in mid-June this year, welcoming the literary-curious and book worms alike to rally around their pages read. For movie buffs, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center is the backdrop for several film festivals throughout the season, including Spectrum Festival (May 6–8), with a specific focus in capturing cinema surrounding LGBTQ+. Other film festivals throughout the spring will highlight the environment, music, women, and more. For those who prefer live theater, the Cape Cod Theatre Company’s spring production of the musical fable "Gypsy" is a show you cannot miss.
Explore galleries galore
Plan your visit
Become a part of something bigger
Spring showers bring flowers
After a long winter, getting outside in the early days of spring feels like a breath of fresh air. Stop and smell the blooms at Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich; stroll among the expansive gardens, check out the antique car collection and let your children play and explore in the outdoor discovery area. Another exquisite display of horticulture is Martha’s Vineyard’s Polly Hill Arboretum, which showcases a stunning display of flowers and plants for enjoyment, as well as purchase.
Painting the perfect picture requires great attention to detail. The same sentiment goes for planning your travel itinerary. With a surplus of activities at your fingertips, making the most out of your time has never been easier.
Learn more about Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket and plan your visit!
Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. For information on travel to Massachusetts, explore more at visitma.com.
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@visitcapecod
@visitmarthasvineyard
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The Polly Hill Arboretum on Martha’s Vineyard
Cape Cod - Hyannis Artist Shanties
Cape Cod Museum of Art
Photo Credit: Christine Hochkeppel
Egan Maritime Institute on Nantucket
Photo Credit: Katie Kaizer
Cape Cod Theater Company
Photo credit: Hannah McLaughlin
Heritage Museums and Gardens in Cape Cod
Martha's Vineyard - The Carnegie
Photo Credit: Marnely Murray
Mytoi Gardens
Photo Credit: Daniel Rodriguez
Funded by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
For information on travel to Massachusetts, explore more at visitma.com
@visitcapecod
@visitmarthasvineyard
@ackchamber
Visit us on Instagram!