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Visitors to Chatham's Art in the Park are welcomed by a vibrant, colorful display of handmade pieces crafted by local artists. (Photo by Julia Cumes)
At the elbow of Cape Cod, you’ll find Chatham, a beautiful town featuring arts and culture along with a close relationship to the ocean, including Cape Cod’s largest fishing fleet. It’s the perfect size for a day trip filled with museums, festivals, art shows, and galleries!
Begin your day at 347 Stage Harbor Road, where the Atwood House was built in 1752 and acquired by the Chatham Historical Society in 1926. Today, the Atwood House Museum features 11 galleries with both permanent and temporary exhibits and is the home of the Historical Society. The collection of the Chatham Historical Society includes over 4,000 objects (paintings, decorative arts, maritime artifacts, etc.) — mainly American-made and mostly Chatham-related.
Pirate’s Day on the grounds of the Atwood House Museum happens at the end of July. The Free Men of the Sea will perform demonstrations, show artifacts, and sing shanties. There will be face painting and pirate merchandise for sale. Learn about who pirates really were, what a pirate’s life was like, and much more!
At the end of August, the annual Festival of the Arts, put on by the Creative Arts Center of Chatham, will take place on Cross Street, a five-minute walk from Main Street. This juried fine arts and craft festival has become a must-see event for Cape Cod residents and visitors alike. With over 120 artisans from around the country, you can explore original and handcrafted artwork, jewelry, fabric, pottery, fashion, wood, glass, metalwork, and so much more. In addition, the family-friendly festival features a children’s arts and crafts tent, shuttle bus service, and food trucks, and admission is free!
Just south of Cross Street at 125 Shattuck Place, you’ll find the Chatham Windmill, also known as the Godfrey Mill, built in 1797 by Colonel Benjamin Godfrey. Back in the day, 11wind-powered gristmills were located in Chatham, but today only two of these historic mills still exist, and only the Godfrey Mill is open to the public. Thanks to the efforts of the Town of Chatham and the Chatham Windmill Group, the windmill is now fully restored. Millers and guides look forward to showing you the inner workings of the Godfrey Mill.
Leave the Mill and head for Main Street, where you’ll find the Artful Hand Gallery, known as a destination for imaginative gifts, designer jewelry, and works by local artists since its founding in 1981. Guided by an appreciation of innovative design and impeccable craftsmanship, founding partner Joe Porcari curates this ever-evolving collection of fine gifts, designer jewelry, and objects for the home. With a deep-rooted dedication to American craftsmen and designers, every item sourced for the gallery has a history and rich story to tell.
For this summer’s Art in the Park, whales painted by local artists will be displayed at Kate Gould Park, just a short walk from Main Street, from June through August. Also, the Oars in the Stores scavenger hunt is on! The Oars, also painted by local artists, are in Chatham shops through Labor Day for visitors to find and win gifts from the Chatham Merchants Association. Oars in the Stores headquarters is the Downtown Visitor Information Booth at 533 Main Street, where you can obtain the scavenger hunt booklets. Each person handing in a completed booklet will receive a prize. The booklets are also available in participating downtown shops as well as the Captain Bassett House Visitor Center at 2377 Main Street in South Chatham. The Whales and the Oars will be auctioned, with 50% of the proceeds going to the artists. The remaining 50% will benefit the Chatham Merchants Association’s investment in making Chatham a wonderful and fun place in which to live, do business, stay and visit, shop, and enjoy all the attractions of this great town.
Head back to Main Street, where a few blocks north, the Guild of Chatham Painters will exhibit work on the lawn of the First United Methodist Church of Chatham at 569 Main Street on Fridays, from 9:30 am-5:30 pm, starting in July and ending with a special Saturday showing in early September. The Guild of Chatham Painters was formed in 1992, and all artists are juried into membership. All paintings exhibited are original oil, watercolor, pastel, and acrylic.
Keep walking north on Main Street. The original Orpheum Theater opened in 1916 as Chatham’s first and only movie house. After closing in 1987, the theater reopened thanks to a local team of volunteers committed to bringing movies back to this iconic Main Street treasure. Today, the Chatham Orpheum Theater is a modern, first-class cinema featuring first-run major motion pictures plus art house movies, independent productions, provocative documentaries, and the works of local filmmakers. Perfect on a rainy day or a hot day, or after a tasty dinner on Main Street!
From the Orpheum Theater, head north on Route 28 and take a left on Depot Road to see the Chatham Railroad Museum, located in the beautifully restored 1887 railroad depot that served Chatham residents and visitors for nearly fifty years. Featuring an architectural style called Railroad Gothic, the building contains hundreds of exhibits and the New York Central model locomotives used at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The museum is child-friendly and includes a 1910 restored wood caboose available for children and adults to explore.
Next, take a right on Hitching Post Road, a left on Tip Cart Drive, and left on Crowell Road to the Creative Arts Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the teaching and appreciation of the arts. Open all year, the Center offers classes and workshops in painting, drawing, pottery, and jewelry. In addition to offerings by its own outstanding teaching staff, the Creative Arts Center sponsors workshops by nationally-known artists. New exhibitions are mounted monthly in the galleries featuring works of students, members, and faculty as well as regional shows. The annual juried All Cape Art Show runs through June and showcases work from the enormously talented pool of artists on Cape Cod.
A little over a mile north in North Chatham at 831 Orleans Road, the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center celebrates the rich history of 20th century maritime radio and explores the innovative advances in science and technology that continue to transform our lives. The former Marconi-RCA Wireless Receiving Station was once the busiest ship-to-shore station in the United States and a significant military installation during World War II. The Operations Building now houses the Marconi-RCA Wireless Museum, offering interactive exhibits tracing the story of maritime wireless communication in Chatham from its formative days with radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi through the 20th century. The Chatham Marconi Maritime Center overlooks Ryder’s Cove, one of many coves and inlets along Chatham’s coastline.
A town rich in maritime heritage, also known for its wonderful shops and restaurants, Chatham makes a great getaway for a day trip or a vacation! Travel to the elbow of Cape Cod for art and culture that’s second to none.
For places to stay on the Lower Cape, click here. For dining options on the Lower Cape, click this link. And for additional things to do during your visit to the Lower Cape, click here.