Plimoth Patuxet Museums Voted the #1 “Best Open-Air Museum” by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the Second Year
Museum first received the prestigious accolade in 2024
Plymouth, Massachusetts (February 19, 2025) – For the second year in a row Plimoth Patuxet Museums has been recognized as the number one “Best Open-Air Museum” in the United States by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Award. Nominated alongside numerous leading open-air museums that were carefully curated by a panel of subject matter experts, the public voted en masse to once again name Plimoth Patuxet Museums as the winner. The distinction comes as the Museum prepares new initiatives in commemoration of Massachusetts 250 and America 250.
“Plimoth Patuxet provides an engaging educational experience for visitors of all ages,” said Executive Director Ellie Donovan. “We are truly honored to be voted number one among such a stellar group of the Nation’s open-air museums.”
Since its founding more than 75 years ago, Plimoth Patuxet has welcomed millions of people and has been a leader in the world of living history. The Museum’s exhibits, programs, and events continue to reflect a commitment to innovation and scholarship in telling the stories of the 17th century in all their complexity. Generations of families, school children, and countless people from around the world have visited Plimoth Patuxet Museums to experience encounters with history built on thorough research about the Indigenous and English people of the 1600s.
“This recognition is an honor that reinforces the Museum’s reputation as a leader in the field of living history,” said Tom Begley, who was recently announced as the Museum’s incoming Executive Director. “ The Museum’s extraordinary staff continue to provide a world-class experience to our visitors, deepening historical empathy and understanding.”
The Museum will introduce new initiatives and events this year in preparation for an expected increase in tourism related to Massachusetts 250 and America 250. “As the Nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we are reminded that revolutionary ideas started here in historic Patuxet and Plymouth, Massachusetts,” said Stephen Brodeur, Chair of the board of trustees. “We are grateful to the Museum’s enthusiastic members and supporters who voted for Plimoth Patuxet.”
Plimoth Patuxet Museums will open for the 2025 season on Saturday, March 15. Open daily 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. through the Sunday following Thanksgiving Day. To learn more about program offerings and events, please visit www.plimoth.org.
About Plimoth Patuxet
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 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. For more information, visit plimoth.org. Follow the Museum on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.