Plymouth, Massachusetts (April 1, 2024) – Plimoth Patuxet Museums, the acclaimed living history museum of 17th-century Colonial and Native New England, announced today that Mayflower II, the Museum’s historic reproduction of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to the shores of Patuxet in 1620, is scheduled to begin the return journey to her berth at the State Pier on the Plymouth, Massachusetts, waterfront from Mystic, Connecticut.
The 67-year-old wooden vessel spent the winter months in dry dock at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport for routine maintenance and painting.
Accompanied by Plimoth Patuxet’s Maritime Preservation and Operations team, the 106-foot ship will be towed by Stasinos Marine, based out of Weymouth.
Mayflower II will depart Mystic Seaport on or about April 9th, 10th, or 11th. The actual time of departure will be determined by weather and tide. Once the ship gets underway from Mystic Seaport Museum, the transit will be non-stop and will take approximately 20 to 25 hours to complete.
The ship will likely pass through the Cape Cod Canal in the wee hours of the morning on the day following departure. It may well be dark when the ship goes through the Cape Cod Canal. The canal is well lit and spectators would still be able to easily view the ship.
Mayflower II will be heading into Plymouth Harbor during the morning of that day after departure.
The ship’s travel schedule is entirely dependent on tide, weather conditions, and other factors, and therefore subject to change without notice.
Plimoth Patuxet expects to open Mayflower II to the public on Saturday, April 13th at 9:00 a.m. Track Mayflower II’s progress along her journey and look for updates on Plimoth Patuxet’s Facebook page.
About Plimoth Patuxet Museums
Plimoth Patuxet is one of the Nation’s foremost living history museums. Founded in 1947, the Museum creates engaging experiences of history built on thorough research about the Indigenous and European people who met along Massachusetts’ historic shores of change in the 1600s. Immersive and educational encounters underscore the collaborations as well as the cultural clash and conflicts of the 17th-century people of this region. Major exhibits include the Historic Patuxet Homesite, the 17th-Century English Village, Mayflower II, and Plimoth Grist Mill. A private, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational institution, Plimoth Patuxet is supported by admission fees, donations, memberships, and revenue from a variety of educational programming, dining and gift shops. Plimoth Patuxet receives support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, private foundations, corporations, and local businesses. Located less than an hour’s drive south of Boston, and 15 minutes north of Cape Cod, the Museum is open daily from early spring through the Sunday after Thanksgiving. For more information, visit plimoth.org. Follow the Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
