Due to new restrictions by the City of Gloucester, street parking is no longer permitted on Hesperus Avenue approaching the Museum. With limited parking, we strongly encourage advance reservations.
This weekend is expected to be busy; please plan ahead and purchase your admission tickets in advance. We recommend you arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled entrance time to allow for on-site parking and the walk down to the Museum. We can not guarantee admission to those without a reservation.
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Special temporary exhibition features a selection of original pen & ink drawings for 1920s classic reads editions for Arabian Nights, Hans Christian Andersen and more. The show coincides with school vacation week Saturday and Sunday, Apr 25 and 26, 2026. Hammond Castle is a fantastic option for a don’t miss worth the trip visit to share with family and friends of all ages and interests. It’s a sure fire guaranty everyone will find something that stops them in their tracks to wander and wonder. One could hear that all around us on this sunny spring day.
Eric Pape Fantasy Illustrations2026 marks the 4th in a series of special temporary exhibitions at Hammond Castle in collaboration with Dr. Gregory Conn,
This iteration includes dozens of drawings on loan from the collection of American photographer, Bruce Haley, and several more from the collection of Conn, avid collector and philanthropist who has turned his Eric Pape passion to writing several books and is the go to authority.
Conn wrote a thorough and fond reintroduction to the once-esteemed Gilded Age artist for Illustration Magazine in 2016. While he explored several of Pape’s geographical inspirations—San Francisco, Paris, and Egypt—Gloucester wasn’t the focus. However, he did highlight the Hammond connection and the influential Cape Ann summer staple: the Pape School of Art, run by Eric and his first wife.
Dr. Conn reached out to GMG after seeing our posts about Tablet Rock, President Taft, and the connection between Eric Pape and Cawein in Gloucester [see You can bid on 1909 Taft presidential memorabilia created for Gloucester: Canterbury Pilgrims Pageant and historic house fundraiser at Stage Fort Park welcomed thousands!Sept. 6, 2018 here] Having delved into Pape’s oeuvre for decades, he certainly wouldn’t miss those!
The HarborWalk (2012) also ensured the correct attribution of Pape’s design for Tablet Rock: ..James R. Pringle was designated to write the inscription for the bronze plaque. The execution of the design was by Eric Pape. “The nautical scheme of decorative framework and embellishment was the composite suggestion” of various committees dating as far back as the 1880s.
It’s exciting to see this series come full circle, back to Cape Ann and Hammond Castle.
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Unleash your creativity in a setting like no other! From stick figure doodlers to seasoned artists, our sketch classes with Sue Wheeler of Arts Abound in Magnolia welcome all skill levels!
Choose your inspiration: En Plein Air: Draw the Castle grounds (May–October) Sketch the Halls During Deck The Halls: Capture the beauty inside (Nov 23) 3-Class Package: Build your skills this June
Let Hammond Castle Museum be your muse. Don’t miss your chance to make your reservations. Sign up for our newsletter today! Stay up to date on events, programs, and early registration opportunities. www.hammondcastle.org
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Step inside the breathtaking home of one of the most prolific inventors of the 20th century, John Hays Hammond, Jr. In keeping with our founder’s original vision for his seaside castle-home to serve as a museum offering the Gloucester community access to ancient works of architectural art, Hammond Castle Museum is pleased to offer free self-guided tours to Gloucester residents every Tuesday throughout the regular tour season, which runs through early November, and during the holiday season, Museum-wide temporary exhibit, Deck the Halls.
Proof of residency for each Gloucester Gratis Days reservation is required upon check-in at the Museum. Advance registration is recommended but not required. You may also register upon arrival in the Museum Shop.
*The last entrance is at 2:45 pm. The Museum and Grounds close to th
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Reblogged from the Hammon Castle FaceBook Page. Very impressive numbers for this great Castle.
During our 2025 season, we issued 93,000 admission tickets at Hammond Castle Museum. Families created memories together, students discovered new ideas, and guests of all ages found moments of joy, inspiration, and connection. Whether your visit sparked curiosity, offered a sense of wonder, or became a cherished tradition, we are grateful that the Museum was part of your year.
We look forward to sharing all that we have planned for the 2026 season in the coming weeks!
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On Thursday, the Hammond Castle held a Halloween for children. The staff of the Castle is amazing setting up this fun event. The history of this castle is so interesting an makes me want to take another tour.
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Last chance to visit Hammond Castle and two special temporary exhibitions on view before it closes for the winter at the end of the day December 29th, 2024. The museum has completed major architectural repairs, restoration and archival research sampled throughout the museum and well labeled for captivating tours and repeat visits.
Images: Hammond Castle on a crisp winter day
Temporary Exhibits
featuring work by Natalie Hammond including wonderful loans from the Hammond Museum and Japanese Scroll Garden which she designed and founded in North Salem, New York in 1957.
Invention room featuring John Hays Hammond inventions with an informative focus on the history of early 20th C encryption and decryption technology in this special exhibit and creative interactive displays.
You can help repair the organ!
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Great event at Hammond Castle on Wednesday. Was honored to be able to volunteer and help out with this event. Over 350 families coming through. Hammond Castle is an amazing place to visit.
Thank you all who came out to enjoy this event.
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This April, the Hammond Castle Museum will present “Gertude Cawein at Hammond Castle Museum,” a new exhibit of nearly 60 works or art by Eric Pape, the distinguished artist and former Annisquam resident.
This exhibit offers a unique insight into the multifaceted talents of Pape. Renowned as a painter, designer of the iconic “Tablet Rock Memorial” in Stage Fort Park, and a society portraitist, Pape’s brilliance shines through various mediums, including pencil, pen, watercolors, and oils. At the heart of this celebration is the full-length portrait of Gertrude Cawein, painted by Pape and loaned from the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, Kentucky. For the first time outside the Filson, visitors can witness this rare example of Pape’s work as a society portraitist. The majority of the works will be on loan from the private collection of esteemed Pape collector and biographer, Dr. Gregory Conn.
The exhibit will run from Friday, April 5th through April 28th from 10:00am-4:00pm. There will be an opening reception in the evening on Saturday, April 6th, so mark your calendar!
Hammond Castle Museum is our featured Business Spotlight of the week! Visit http://www.hammondcastle.org to learn more and plan your visit. Stay tuned for exhibit details and ticket info coming soon!
#DiscoverGloucester #RediscoverGloucester #EricPape #GloucesterMA #VisitMA #VisitNorthofBoston #April #Happenings #Art #Exhibit
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Step into the fascinating life of John Hays Hammond Jr. with our lecture titled “The Expansive Life of John Hays Hammond Jr”. We are excited to have Caleb McMurphy, the Director of Visitor Services and Education at Hammond Castle join us at the Museum to present.
What do you know about the man behind the Castle?
As one of American’s foremost inventors he has 120 patents in the field of wireless radio ship and weaponry control systems becoming know as “the Father of Remote Control”. He had over 700 patents in total.
He met Thomas Edison at age 12 and they remained in contact throughout Edison’s life. He was also friends with Nicola Tesla who was known to visit Hammond at the castle. He was a skilled pianist and organist, and a passionate collector of art and antiques, and his castle houses a vast collection of medieval and Renaissance artifacts.
Hammond was also deeply interested in the occult. His marriage to Gloucester artist Evelyn Fenton in 1925 introduced an abiding interest in spiritualism. Seances, and reportedly many an all-night party were held at Hammond Castle. The Hammonds maintained deep connections to the equally successful and avant garde circle at Eastern Point.
John Hays Hammond Jr. was a true Renaissance man, with a remarkable range of talents and interests. His inventions had a profound impact on the world, and his legacy continues to inspire innovators today.
Be sure to join us for a one-hour exploration of the seeming contradictory facets and periods of the Hammonds’ life. Our lecture will be preceded by half-hour social with light refreshments at 3:30.
The Magnolia Historical Museum is located at 46 Magnolia
Ave in the historic Blynman Schoolhouse.
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Join us on Saturday, April 1st from 10am to 4pm as we celebrate the start of our 48th season with our gift to you: Free Self-Guided Tours! No reservations necessary.
We can’t wait to show you all the wonderful things that we have planned for the 2023 season, starting with our entirely-updated Inventions Exhibit Room showcasing exciting new perspectives on Hammond’s work as a scientist, inventor and engineer. This season we will present a brand-new set of temporary exhibits including an interactive presentation that uses an AI-generated, animated, holographic projection of Hammond, who speaks to visitors about his scientific career which will be on display beginning in May through the end of August!!
Reblogged from Hammond Castle Hammond Facebook page
Local-favorite the Jambalaya Horns kicks off the season of light and hope with joyous holiday favorites here at Hammond Castle Museum, starting at 6pm. (This concert will be held outdoors, in front of our 12th and 13th Century Arches. In case of inclement weather, the performance will be held inside, in the Museum’s Great Hall.) Holiday lights will be cast upon our majestic castle and romantic arches, creating a magical holiday scene across the Museum grounds. Guests who wish to peek into the Hammond’s historic home to see the Great Hall decked out for the holidays are welcome to do so.
This performance and celebration is free and open to the public.
Please note: Not all portions of the Museum will be open to guests. Guests will only have access to the Great Hall and rooms leading down to the Great Hall.
This event is generously sponsored in part by Cape Ann Savings Bank.
Photo by: CMO Photography Studios
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Lots of activity near the Hammond Castle. Thank you Beth Welin for the information.
An independent film company making a fictional film of an art heist inspired by the Isabella Stewart Gardner heist. They have a ton of replica masterpieces set up in various rooms. They will be there until Thursday night. I decided to come back home and work here instead of being trapped up in the archive room for the whole day. I will go in again Thursday and get to see the Great Hall all decked out as they finish up. It was piled with stuff this morning so couldn’t see how it will look during the filming. Have no idea who’s starring in it. The actors weren’t there yet when I was there this morning.
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Good Morning Gloucester 