Whydah Pirate Museum

05/23/2026

Happy Memorial Day Weekend from the Whydah Pirate Museum! 🏴‍☠️

Looking to add a little adventure to your holiday plans? Come aboard and explore the only authenticated pirate treasure ever discovered in the world. Learn about the legendary slave ship turned pirate vessel, the Whydah Gally, and her infamous crew captained by Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy.

We will be open all weekend, including Memorial Day, from 10 AM to 4 PM (last entry 3:30 PM).

🎟️ Learn more and plan your visit at discoverpirates.com

04/25/2026

On April 26, 1717, the Whydah sank off the coast of Cape Cod. On April 26, 2026, the man who led the team that discovered her will be here to share the story.

Join Barry Clifford and other members of Expedition Whydah for a special talk marking the 309th anniversary of the wreck. He will discuss what he has learned about that fateful night in 1717 and how it shaped the expedition that changed history.

This event is included with museum admission. Barry will remain afterward to sign books and take photographs. Copies of his book will be available in the gift shop, or you may bring your own.

Sunday, April 26 · 1:00 PM · Approximately 30 minutes
Whydah Pirate Museum
674 MA-28, West Yarmouth
discoverpirates.com

04/23/2026

Whispers of the Wreck 🏴‍☠️
Join us this Saturday, April 25th for Whispers of the Wreck, a storytelling experience of folklore, sea legends, and myths surrounding the wreck of the Whydah Gally. This Saturday marks the eve of the 309th anniversary of the Whydah's sinking, and there is no better night to tell these stories. They live in the shadows of the museum, told only at night, when the lights go down and the galleries fall silent.

Four time slots available: 6:00, 6:30, 7:00 & 7:30 PM · Ages 16+ · $20
Advance tickets required · discoverpirates.com or (508) 534-9571

04/20/2026

EC50 awardee Brandon Clifford joins Explorers Club President and Born to Explore host Richard C Wiese for a conversation about shipwrecks, pirates, and the spirit of exploration that drives The Explorers Club community.

To learn more about The Explorers Club EC50, visit 50.explorers.org

https://50.explorers.org/videos/brandon-clifford-interview-inside-the-worlds-only-proven-pirate-shipwreck/

Features: Brandon Clifford, EC50 2026

03/25/2026

What was African gold jewellery doing on Black Sam Bellamy’s pirate ship, the Whydah Gally? Its double life and latest sensation are featured in a new Wreckwatch magazine special report: www.wreckwatchmag.com.

03/25/2026

The Mystery of Sam Bellamy’s Pirate Gold

Read the Wreckwatch story at www.wreckwatchmag.com

Much of the gold helped recover from the wreck site of the Whydah with the Whydah project team is actually cultural heritage of the Akan people of modern-day Ghana. Written sources suggest the gold was of poor quality and diluted with various materials.

Collaborating with .skowronek and using cutting-edge technology hosted at the .bochum, we prove these historical authors wrong and thus highlight the need for scientific analysis when reassessing historical narratives of the early Atlantic trade.

Read our new paper at : “Pirate Gold Provides New Insights into West African Trade Using pXRF and SEM-EDS Analysis.

03/04/2026

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize women who made their mark on history, even during the Golden Age of Piracy. 🏴‍☠️

One of the most famous was Anne Bonny, an Irish-born pirate who sailed in the Caribbean in 1720 with the crew of “Calico Jack” Rackham. Alongside fellow pirate Mary Read, Bonny fought and raided ships in an era when piracy was overwhelmingly dominated by men. After their capture near Jamaica in 1720, both women were tried for piracy.

⚓ Stories like Anne Bonny’s remind us that the history of piracy included remarkable women as well as men.

🎟 Learn more and plan your visit: discoverpirates.com

02/20/2026

Hope you’re having a kraken good weekend… 🐙⚓

If you’re looking to add a little adventure to your plans, chart a course for the Whydah Pirate Museum, where real pirate history comes to life.

Home to the only authenticated pirate treasure ever recovered in the world, the museum showcases artifacts from the legendary slave ship turned pirate vessel, the Whydah Gally. Captained by the infamous Samuel “Black Sam” Bellamy, the Whydah sank off Cape Cod in 1717, taking with it untold treasures and stories of high seas adventure.

Today, you can get up close to real pirate coins, cannons, weapons, and personal belongings recovered from the ocean floor. It’s hands on, immersive, and perfect for curious kids, history buffs, and anyone who’s ever dreamed of sailing under the black flag.

Whether you’re dodging sea monsters or hunting for treasure, there’s no better place to dive into pirate lore.

So grab your crew and come make waves with us. Adventure awaits at the Whydah Pirate Museum. 🏴‍☠️

02/16/2026

Going on the Account

Merchant sailors worked long hours, were treated harshly, poorly fed, and paid little, sometimes nothing at all.

But a sailor who turned pirate and went “on the account” became a shareholder in the ship’s company, earning a percentage of the plunder. ⚓️

Each man aboard the Whydah was due at least one 50-pound sack of coins. The crew likely spent hours dreaming of how they would spend their riches, but the treasure, and most of the men, ended up at the bottom of the ocean. 🌊

Discover their story and see real recovered treasure at the Whydah Pirate Museum on Cape Cod. 🏴‍☠️ Tickets and information at discoverpirates.com.

02/12/2026

John F. Kennedy Jr. on the bow of the original Vast Explorer. He was the first crew member to join Barry Clifford in the search for the legendary shipwreck Whydah. Also pictured: original crew member John Byer.

Photo © Whydah Project.