Nantucket Official Guide 2014-2015 | Page 30

Nantucket Atheneum, 1 India Street
Established in 1834, and rebuilt in 1847 after
the Great Fire, the Nantucket Atheneum
became a public library in 1900. Along with
typical collections of books, films and music,
the Atheneum also has a special collection of
art and artifacts related to Nantucket’s history.
Patrons can access more than 1.5 million items
from other Cape and Island libraries through
the CLAMS consortium. The Atheneum offers

© Katie Kaizer

©Michael Galvin

The Nantucket Lightship
Basket Museum, 49 Union Street
The rich heritage of the lightship basket
reflects the spirit, ingenuity and creative spark
of artisans who crafted them and continues to
inspire the work of those who keep the art
alive. Today, the lightship basket is recognized
internationally as a Nantucket icon. The
Museum offers visitors the opportunity to
discover and connect with the art and craft of
the basket through its two-hundred year
history. Annually changing and permanent
exhibits, guest speakers, weaving demonstrations and tours of the 1820s garden are
offered throughout the season. Open from
Memorial Day through Columbus Day from
10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Call 508-228-1177, or visit
NantucketLightshipBasketMuseum.org for
more information.

free wifi and public computers with Internet
access. The library’s second floor, the
venerable Great Hall, has a long history of
hosting prominent speakers (attracting 19th
century notables like Ralph Waldo Emerson,
Henry David Thoreau and Frederick Douglass)
as well as presenting community events –
a tradition that continues today. In 1998, a
new wing opened in The Atheneum’s Weezie
Library for Children, which offers youth
and teen programs all year long. The adjoining
garden provides a welcome downtown
green space for relaxing, playing and
outdoor library pro grams. For additional
information, call 508-228-1110 or visit
www.nantucketatheneum.org.

The Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin School,
4 Winter Street
The historic Coffin School was founded
in 1827 by Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin, an
English baronet who intended to provide “a
good English education to youth who are
descendents of the late Tristram Coffin,”
(almost every child on Nantucket) including
nautical training for island boys. Previously
located on Fair Street, it was rebuilt at its
present location after the Great Fire of 1846.

©Michael Galvin

Nantucket Shipwreck &
Lifesaving Museum, 158 Polpis Road
Affiliate of Egan Maritime Institute,
PO Box 2923, Nantucket, MA 02584
www.eganmaritime.org.
During the late 19th and early 20th
centuries, the men of the US Lifesaving Service
performed hundreds of rescues off Nantucket’s
coast. Harrowing tales are filled with heroism,
man vs. nature, and success in the face of grim
odds. Drawing on its collection of over
28 • 2014 Official Guide to Nantucket