THE CAPE ANN MUSEUM: Fresh, fun, and family-friendly

Discover this great art museum that punches way above its weight

Gloucester is home to the Cape Ann Museum, located just off Main Street in 4-floor modern building attached to a sea captain’s house which is part of the campus and can be toured as well. Like other area museums it has adopted the trendy shorthanded initials, CAM, as its name.

Mention the Cape Ann Museum and renowned maritime painter Fitz Henry Lane springs to mind for many locals. An entire gallery dedicated to the museums permanent collection of his exacting luminescent paintings of ships, harbors and shore scenes.

A fun aspect of the museum is its eclectic collections on display, which includes the wonderful work of illustrator and children’s book author, Virginia Lee Burton, a cozy room dedicated to the work of the Folly Cove designers, a large detailed model of the Gloucester waterfront in the 19th century and the wooden boat Alfred Johnson single-handedly sailed across the Atlantic in 1876, fishing and waterfront artifacts and much more. Kids who roll their eyes when they hear the word ‘art’ will be pleasantly surprised!

You will often discover a special show that will take your breath away. The blockbuster,Edward Hopper and Cape Ann was featured several years ago. Be aware that special tickets for specific time slots are required to attend featured shows.

Cape Ann Museum Green

An addition to the CAM campus is Cape Ann Museum Green, located just off the rotary you come to after crossing the Annisquam River on Route 128. It is dedicated to providing additional exhibition and community programming space, and includes several historic houses and a barn.

The museum is a great destination during the fall and winter, or on a rainy summer’s day. But don’t wait for lousy weather to visit. You will be happy you’ve included this gem of a museum on your visit to Boston’s North Shore.