3 Best Sights in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Built by sea captain Joseph C. Atwood in 1752, this museum has a gambrel roof, hand-hewn floor planks, an old kitchen with a wide hearth and a beehive oven. The New Gallery features a rotating slate of exhibits. The Joseph C. Lincoln Room has the manuscripts, first editions, and mementos of the Chatham writer; antique tools are displayed in an additional gallery. There's also a local commercial fishing gallery and an exhibit on the famous Pendleton wreck and rescue. In a remodeled freight shed are the stunning and provocative murals (1932–45) by Alice Stallknecht Wight portraying religious scenes in Chatham settings. On the grounds are an herb garden, the old turret and lens from the Chatham Light, a simple camp house rescued from eroding North Beach, and a Wampanoag wetu dwelling.

Home to the Truro Historical Society, the 1907 Highland House was once a grand summer hotel in its time, boasting of many private rooms, meals, and even one shared indoor bathroom. Now a museum, each season a new exhibition highlights Truro's rich history; upstairs you can see how early settlers lived and the unique industries they created to survive. There is also a room dedicated to Edward and Jo Hopper and their art and lives in Truro. Throughout the summer, talks, live music events, and children's programs are offered.

In Main Street's Old Town Hall, this museum explores JFK's Cape years (1934–63) through enlarged and annotated photographs culled from the archives of the JFK Library near Boston, as well as a seven-minute video narrated by Walter Cronkite. Changing exhibits focus on various members of the family at different stages of their life and career. Events include lectures, book signings, a summer author series, and speaking engagements by those with close connections to the family, both past and present. Guided walking tours of Hyannis include stops at ancient cemeteries and public art to reflect on local history.