Provincetown Tourist Attractions
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The picturesque little tourist resort and artists' haunt of Provincetown (pop. 4000), at the northern tip of Cape Cod, was the landing-place in 1620 of the first Pilgrim Fathers. On High Pole Hill (253ft/77m; wide views) is the Pilgrim Monument. Provincetown Heritage Museum is devoted to the history of the town. There are boat trips out to sea to look for whales.
Cape Cod Whale Watch
Boats leave frequently from the MacMillan Wharf for whale watching excursions. Trained interpreters or naturalists bring passengers to the Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary to observe finback, humpback and minke whales. A typical tour lasts 2.5 to 4 hours.
Provincetown Heritage Museum
Provincetown's former role as the third largest whaling center in the world is documented in the exhibits and displays of the Provincetown Heritage Museum. It contains a 66-foot indoor model of the Rose Dorothea, a Grand Bank schooner and racing yacht, whaling equipment, traps, lines and more fishing relating paraphernalia. It also houses a collection of paintings by some of the notable artists that have spent time in Provincetown. Among these include works by Jackson Pollack and Hans Hoffman.
Provincetown Museum and Pilgrim Monument
The Pilgrim Monument was built overlooking the town of Provincetown in 1910 to commemorate the arrival of the Pilgrims. Pilgrims en route to a colony in Virginia were blown off course and landed near Provincetown in November, 1620. They eventually moved on and settled in Plymouth. The small museum at the base of the Pilgrim Monument houses a collection of artifacts, relics, and documents that reflect the town's rich historical past. There are ship models, pieces of whaling equipment and maritime objects.
