The Perfect Fall Getaway - A Visit to the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum and popular exhibit

A perfect fall getaway on Cape Cod can be spent exploring the world’s longest running and most influential art colony at The Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum’s (PMPM) current exhibition, The Great Provincetown Summer – 1916. The limited time special exhibition, on display at the PMPM through November 30, 2016, is an immersion into the year 1916, a pivotal time in the town’s history, when Provincetown was put on the map as the largest and most influential art colony in the world and the birthplace of the modern American theater. It was a year when bohemians, radicals and free thinkers joined writers, artists and others who came together in the tiny town at the tip of Cape Cod. Provincetown was, and continues to be, a haven for artistic freedom and expression and has led to the town’s rightful designation as “the world’s longest continuous art colony.”

“We’ve had a tremendous response to the exhibition since it opened, from visitors from our own backyard in Provincetown to those who travel here to vacation during the height of the summer months,” said Stephen Borkowski, Chairman of the Collections and Exhibitions Committee. “We are coming upon one of the best tourist seasons, the fall, when the crowds diminish but the Cape still has beautiful weather and lots going on.”

Start your day in Provincetown with a visit to the PMPM and climb up the iconic 252-foot all granite Monument with 116 steps and 60 ramps. “The reward in climbing to the top of the Monument is the breathtaking 360-degree view of Provincetown, the tip of Cape Cod. Then, you can enjoy the Museum’s permanent collection in addition to the featured exhibition at your leisure.”

At The Great Provincetown Summer – 1916 exhibit, visitors will experience the Provincetown of nearly a century ago and see first-hand the cultural, economic and social forces over time that shaped the town into the unique and historic landmark it is today. Through old 35mm newsreels, original artwork and replicas of the first theater that housed the Provincetown Players and more, visitors will immerse themselves into an era when Provincetown was transformed into the center of the artistic universe.

Visitors to the PMPM will also learn more about the Pilgrims’ first landing in Provincetown Harbor in 1620 where they signed the Mayflower Compact as they view the museum’s permanent collection. The PMPM is participating in 2020 celebrations and is a member of both the Provincetown 400 Inc. and Plymouth 400 Inc. organizations. The PMPM is open every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Labor Day (September 5) then from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day until November 30, with the exception of Thanksgiving when the PMPM is closed.

About the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum

Dedicated in 1910, the Monument commemorates the first landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims in the ‘new world’ -- in Provincetown in 1620. Here they signed the historic Mayflower Compact, the first agreement to establish a government by the people, the cornerstone of American democracy. They explored the Cape for five weeks before sailing on to Plymouth. At 252 feet, the Monument is an engineering marvel and the tallest granite tower in the United States. Visitors can climb the Monument’s 116 steps and 60 ramps at a leisurely pace and enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire Cape and visit our webcam for a live “View from the Top.” The Provincetown Museum at the base of the Monument presents engaging exhibitions of important chapters in our national heritage and the Town’s history and is a partner in Provincetown 400 Inc. and Plymouth 400 Inc. in 2020, the anniversary of the Mayflower voyage and founding of the Plymouth Colony. Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum is a non-profit educational, tax-exempt 501(3)(c) organization. For more information please visit pilgrim-monument.org.