2025 Heritage Highlights

Did you know that the Heritage Museums & Gardens stewards a collection of over 18,000 objects? Containing everything from vintage cars to folk art paintings, this eclectic ensemble is the result of decades of collecting by our founders, Josephine and Josiah Kirby Lilly III. Encompassing what Mr. Lilly described as the “excellence and ingenuity of American craftsmen,” our collection celebrates the breadth and depth of our region’s art and history.

Heritage Highlights is our yearly showcase of unique and insightful objects from this large collection. This year, we are highlighting objects relating to the theme of “collecting the coastline,” celebrating the many ways in which Cape Codders have interacted with the Atlantic Seaboard throughout history. Come by to view whimsical seascape paintings by Martha and Ralph Cahoon, learn about the productive history of our region’s many historic windmills, and honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy by learning about the Cape’s pivotal role in the Second World War.