More than just the public library, this stately Greek Revival edifice is a sight in itself. The 2nd-floor Great Hall has hosted such notables as Ralph Waldo Emerson and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Nationally known opinion makers still speak here today; ask about the summer lecture series, and look out for classes and concerts (there's a useful calendar online).
Nantucket Atheneum
Top choice in Nantucket
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
26.74 MILES
Oak Bluffs started out in the mid-19th century as a summer retreat by a revivalist church, whose members enjoyed a day at the beach as much as a gospel…
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0.09 MILES
One of the island's highlights, this evocative museum occupies an 1847 spermaceti (whale oil) candle factory and the excellent exhibits relive Nantucket's…
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29.94 MILES
Nearly 50 historic sea captains' homes are lined up along MA 6A (the Old King's Hwy) in Yarmouth Port, on a 1.5-mile stretch known as the Captains' Mile…
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27.17 MILES
Hyannis has been the summer home of the Kennedy clan for generations. Back in the day, JFK spent the warmer months here – times that are beautifully…
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0.59 MILES
Welcoming ferries into Nantucket Harbor, this lighthouse was established in 1746 and is still in operation. It's quite tiny (only 26ft), but impossibly…
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0.19 MILES
Everyone comes to this church, which traces its roots to the early 1700s, for the eagle-eye view from the top of the steeple. It's well worth the 94-step…
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22.45 MILES
Accessed by frequent ferry (the 'Chappy Ferry') from Edgartown harbor, Chappaquiddick is a small island with a big history, thanks to a fatal accident in…
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Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
26.75 MILES
Take Morris Island Rd beyond the Chatham lighthouse to reach this 7600-acre wildlife refuge, spreading from Morris Island to encompass the shifting sands…
Nearby Nantucket attractions
0.09 MILES
One of the island's highlights, this evocative museum occupies an 1847 spermaceti (whale oil) candle factory and the excellent exhibits relive Nantucket's…
2. First Congregational Church
0.19 MILES
Everyone comes to this church, which traces its roots to the early 1700s, for the eagle-eye view from the top of the steeple. It's well worth the 94-step…
0.23 MILES
Right in town, Children's Beach is heaven for young kids, with gentle water, a fun playground and picnic facilities. It's along S Beach St at the north…
0.26 MILES
A walk through the Nantucket Historical Association’s Hadwen House, a Greek Revival home built in 1845 by a whaling merchant, provides testimony to just…
5. Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum
0.4 MILES
What the lighthouse is to the New England coast, the lightship was to the sea – essentially a floating lighthouse to warn of dangerous shoals or sandbars…
0.47 MILES
To see where drunken sailors used to spend the night, visit the Old Gaol, the c 1806 jail that served Nantucket for 125 years. It was constructed using…
7. Museum of African American History
0.47 MILES
The Nantucket campus of this museum stands as testimony to the influential African American community that thrived on the island in the 19th century. It…
0.47 MILES
Built in 1686, the Jethro Coffin House is the town’s oldest building still on its original foundation. It’s in a traditional ‘salt box’ style, with south…