Pirates of Nassau Museum

Our family was hosted on the Carnival Liberty to experience what it was like! We purchased admission to the pirate museum on our own. All thoughts and opinions are personal.

Cruising with a baby was a tough deal, but with the great help of my family, we pulled through and had a fantastic vacation, complete with character breakfasts and a date night for Chase and I.  It was an incredibly special vacation because not only were the four of us together, but my parents, my brother and his friend came along, too. We were a dinner table full of fun… and laughter. When we went ashore in Nassau, Bahamas, we didn’t really have a plan.  Walk the straw market, get a cold drink, and generally see the town. 

My mom had originally honeymooned here, so she was shocked to see how the town had changed in nearly 37 years. After a few blocks heading south, we took a turn towards a local donut shop for a snack. (Grandparents are notorious for spoiling little babies!) While Chase and I waited with Scarlett, we happened upon this logo on the street. When we looked up, an unassuming maroon building loomed with the words, Pirates of Nassau.  This was for me.

 

Sitting on the herringbone patterned sidewalk of pavers was a set of stocks, touchable props and a great big wooden sign bearing the symbol of a notorious pirate.  Inside, some of the most friendly people welcomed us to the box office and listed out prices to see the museum, which was hidden behind a great wooden door hinged in steel. 

As soon as my parents caught up, I purchased tickets and we laid eyes on one of the most complete, detailed museums I’d ever seen.  Here are six great things to know before you visit the Pirates of Nassau Museum:

1. Easy walk from Cruise Port in Nassau, Bahamas

   When you disembark, travel to the right and “in” to town.  After just a few short blocks, you’ll near the museum, on a paver-lined street.  There’s also a great restaurant in front to enjoy “pirate fare.”

2. Kids under 4 are free

   Scarlett’s admission to the museum was free, but Red, being 5, paid a child’s price. It’s a great stop if your kids are little for inexpensive fun.The prices are slightly different with exchange rates, but with our travel credit card, we earned points for the entrance price. 

3. High-Quality Exhibits

   I LOVE museums. I love art, learning, and above all, history. The Pirates of Nassau Museum was so intricate. Great thought was put into the exhibits, from the entrance to the pirate town to the ship’s hold, the prison, and even the touchable items.

4. All 5 Senses Will Tingle

   The moment your family walks into the giant wooden door, your tour guide will set the scene.  It’s a self-guided museum, but the set-up really helps immerse you.  All five of my senses were tingling in the initial room of the 1716 Nassau.  Sight, sound, touch was fairly obvious, but I could also smell roasted meats and nearly taste the gunpowder that hung in the air. 

5. Kid Friendly; touch almost everything 

   Back home in Atlanta, there are a few museums like the Georgia Aquarium and the Children’s Museum that are centered around children with touchable exhibits and the ability to participate in shows.  But as a traveling family, we realize this isn’t always the case. The Pirates of Nassau Museum is almost completely touchable.  Cannons, lobster traps, ropes, pulls, ships wheels and more beckon visitors of all ages to play.  

   

6. Finish at the Pirates of Nassau Patio Bar

   After the museum, you’ll be dropped into the tiny gift shop, as most museums and attractions do.  While there isn’t much to crow about here, exit the door and you’ll find a beautiful patio with plenty of seating, umbrellas, a tropical bar with drinks for purchase and more.  This is where we took a silly pirate family photo and played with the large cannons, pretending to fire on new museum visitors. Ample and clean bathrooms with a changing table were here in the courtyard, too. 

If you’re headed to Nassau on a cruise, this is a great stop for couples, family, or the solo history buff.  Have a tropical rum drink in the pirate’s courtyard at the end for me! Arrrrrgh.