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Meridiela.

Mystic Seaport

A recreated nineteenth-century seaport with the last wooden whaleship in the world afloat and a working shipyard.

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Typemaritime museum
WhereConnecticut
Nearest cityMystic, adjacent; New London about 15 km
Best seasonApril to October
Time to allowA full day
Getting thereI-95 exit at Mystic; Amtrak stops in the village
EntryTicket

The museum covers about seventeen acres on the Mystic River and combines relocated buildings - a chapel, a shipsmith, a cooperage, a printing office - with a working waterfront. Its central object is the Charles W. Morgan, built in 1841, the last wooden whaleship left in the world; she made thirty-seven voyages over eighty years and was restored and sailed again in 2014 for the first time in nearly a century. The Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard on site is a genuine working yard, and visitors watch shipwrights repairing vessels with traditional methods. Other vessels include the training ship Joseph Conrad and the fishing schooner L. A. Dunton.

What you actually see

  • The Charles W. Morgan of 1841 - the last wooden whaleship afloat.
  • A working preservation shipyard - shipwrights repairing vessels.
  • Relocated seaport buildings - smith, cooper, printer, chapel.
  • Other historic vessels - including a training ship and a schooner.

When to go

April to October for full operation. A full day.

Honest expectations

Some vessels close for maintenance without notice. Winter reduces the site substantially. Tickets are not cheap and the village outside is a separate tourist strip. Boarding the Morgan can involve a queue.

Nearby

Mystic village and the aquarium are adjacent; Stonington is east.

What to pack for Mystic Seaport

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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