In 1984, underwater explorer Barry Clifford and his Project Team discovered the site of the 1717 shipwreck of the Whydah off Cape Cod, the only verified pirate shipwreck ever discovered. For the past two decades, we have recovered and researched treasures from the Whydah, as well as from other sites connected to the history of piracy. Every shipwreck is a time-capsule, and each artifact tells a story. Over twenty years, we've collected a lot of pirate stories. To that end, this site is about pirate treasures lost and found -and about pirate mysteries solved and unsolved...

Coming soon to The Field Museum

Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship
February 27 — October 25, 2009

Sail with legendary pirate Sam Bellamy and his crew and learn the true story of the Whydah, from her historic transformation from slave ship to pirate ship to her final resting place on the ocean floor. One of the most advanced ships of her day, the Whydah sank in a storm in 1717 with bounty from over 50 captured ships.

Official Exhibition Site

Education

Now that schools are back in session, what better time to announce that, with aid from The National Geographic Society, we are expanding our mission to welcome more students and teachers to share in our discoveries from the Whydah site at our museum in Provincetown!

For more information:

Educator Guide PDF

On-line Learning