In August 2025, something extraordinary happened in Cape Cod Bay: Mayflower II was under sail once more.

It had been five years since the historic tall ship last raised her sails during her triumphant 2020 homecoming following an award-winning, multi-year restoration. Since then, she has become an even more recognized national treasure, earning a place on the National Register of Historic Places and welcoming hundreds of thousands of guests each year at State Pier in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Yet a vessel like Mayflower II is more than an artifact. She is a working ship — built to move, to respond to wind and sea, and to help us understand the maritime world of the 17th century in a way no static display ever could. Seeing her under sail is a powerful reminder that history here isn’t behind glass. It lives, breathes, and sometimes catches the wind.

Moments like this are also about the future. Keeping Mayflower II under sail requires more than preservation. It calls for the careful stewardship of maritime knowledge, craftsmanship, and leadership. From emerging tall ship crew members learning the rhythms of wind and water, to captains passing down generations of seafaring skill, to supporters who believe these stories matter, a living ship depends on many hands — on land and at sea — to keep her shipshape and Bristol fashion.

As we commemorate America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, vessels like Mayflower II help ensure our history continues to be told not only on land, but at sea — where part of the American story began. By investing in the next generation of maritime professionals and patrons, we carry forward the ability to experience the past in motion, deepening our understanding of the people, journeys, and choices that shaped our world.