Heritage Museums & Gardens — Attraction in Sandwich

We visited on a Tuesday morning in mid-June 2025.

It was an overcast day and it had been raining off and on. There was a large parking lot and we arrived around 10AM when it opened. There are lots to the left and right of the main entrance we went to the right. For the weather I was surprised by the number of people who were actually here at opening. People had umbrellas and ponchos. Majority of this site is outdoors. There were at least a dozen cars in our parking lot.

We went to the main entrance and got our tickets which were discounted because of our NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum Association) membership. At this location it allowed 2 adults for free and youth at $5 each. So we paid $15 total to get in.

There are a few facilities here at the main entrance. Directly straight is the ticket/admission office. To the right is the gift shop and to the left is the restrooms. You did not need tickets to go into the shop or the restrooms.

There is a 4th building further back to the left which was the Clarissa S. Nye Visitor Center. There really isn't much in here. Not your typical visitor center when you think of one. They had staff there to answer questions and maps. They had a sculpture and some wall display/kiosks.

The Gardens are divided into multiple areas and buildings. I'll try and provide some short summaries here.

Kids first started to hunt down the animal sculptures in the park but gave up after about 5 or 6. They are cool and a fun activity to do with younger ones.

Since it was raining we first went tot he J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery because it was indoors. It's a large 2 story building with antique cars. It was a very well done show floor and you could also see through into the back shop where they had more cars for display. There were some interactive activities and you could sit in a car too. Great for photos. We spent maybe 30 mins in here total mainly to wait out the rain.

When we left the rain had mostly subsided and it was just drizzling. We walked up and to the left to hit the Old East Mill and the Hart Family Maze Garden. I would say it's a mid-size garden. It looked very well kept. It was big enough to actually get lost in but you could figure it out in a min or two if you kept going. Great for younger kids for sure.

By the time we were done with the maze the rain had stopped but everything was just a little wet. We continued on the trails north to the parade fields. Everything was very well maintained and manicured. Super photogenic even with the gloomy overcast skies. We did stop by the Labyrinth which wasn't as cool as the garden maze but the kids still spent some time wandering out here. It's just brick pavers on the ground and gravel in between.

We went to the Special Exhibitions Gallery next which was current the cranberry exhibit. There were 2 staff members in there and the one lady interacted with my kids a bunch and they really enjoyed it. We were there for maybe 15 mins looking around and talking with the staff. There was hardly anyone else coming in here. We only saw 2 other groups come in while we were here and left before we did.

We saw the Wetu and the hidden hollow area with the tree house. There were some interactive elements where the kids played around for a few mins.

Lastly we went tot he American Art & Carousel Gallery. The kids rode the carousel 2 or 3 times which is included with your park admission. Then it was time to head out and next stop on our road trip.

On the way out we went through the lower part of the park so we got to see more of it. It was very pretty. You get a nice view of the flume when you leave going this way too.

Overall a great visit. At $15 for the five of us it was totally wroth it, even with the rain. For that price we would probably visit again and explore more, maybe in a different season like spring with more flowers or the fall as the leaves...

A traumatic start to the holiday season. I am a born and raised local, and loved visiting the gardens as a child. For years I’ve wanted to experience the famed Gardens Aglow event and finally, this year, a friend and member of the gardens had 2 extra tickets. So my husband, and especially I, were so excited to attend. Unfortunately, our 14 yo, diabetic, deaf and blind pug doesn’t have another caretaker, so we bundled him up in his Xmas sweater and his stroller, and brought him with us. He has little mobility and was sleeping in his stroller. We gave our tix, entered through the ticketing area, and met our friends in the warmth of the hall with antique cars and Santa. One friend gave our pup some pets while he rested in the stroller. Suddenly, a thin, small middle-aged woman who seemed to be part of staff came to us and asked us to leave. “He can’t be in here!” She said pointing to our pup. So, we left the hall, and began to walk towards the gardens, pushing our pup along in his stroller. Within minutes, the same staff member came up behind us. Apparently she had been stalking us since we left the main building. “Excuse me! He can’t be here! You have to leave the campus.” Shocked, hurt and angry I pointed out that we had been let through the gate, and that our elderly dog was in a stroller and would not be disturbing the gardens or anyone else. She said we had to leave. Because I had wanted to attend Gardens Aglow for so many years, my husband suggested he’d leave and that I should quickly look through the gardens and meet him at the car. So, we split up. Apparently this woman followed my husband and met him at the gate where he and a friend were trying to explain what happened, speak to a manager, and get permission to stay. This woman was relentless in her demand that my husband and dog had to leave because it’s the policy that only emotional support dogs can stay with their companions. She interrupted my husband and wouldn’t let up until she got her way. At this age, we’re emotionally supporting our weak, helpless, elderly dog, and the fact that at the beginning of the Holiday season Nov 30th,2024, this Heritage Gardens employee or volunteer made it her mission to eject us - in front of Santa no less-from a family event for no apparent reason other than blind, heartless rule-following is absolutely unconscionable. As I said to her then, she should be ashamed of herself. I did get to rush through the gardens, but was so hurt, angry and in shock from what happened that the entire experience left a bad taste in my mouth. All in we left the gardens about 20 minutes after we arrived. It was so deeply disappointing and disturbing. The years of waiting to attend. The weeks of excitement and planning about the opportunity to finally be there. The hour of travel to and from the event. All for a couple minutes of joy followed by an evening of embarrassment, ridicule and rejection, and still lingering anger and disappointment now nearly a month later. If this is how Heritage Gardens trains their staff and marks the holiday season, I won’t be...

Had the opportunity to visit Heritage Museums & Gardens on a beautiful, sunny Saturday and was a pleasant visit. Staff is friendly and helpful, and plenty of parking is available as well.

The museums & gardens offer plenty to see and do during your visit. Outdoor nature gardens are the biggest highlight with a Hydrangea Testing Garden that offers fountains, information, and beautiful hydrangeas of various colors including blues, violets, and pinks. Visitors can also take in the Flume Fountain, a Wetu that focuses on Native American history, a biodiversity garden to find all different critters, a Wampanoag Style Garden, and a maze. A labyrinth, garden of the senses, and more await including an overlook of the Shawnee Pond and the Old East Mill.

Heritage also offers indoor explorations such as the automobile gallery features numerous cars throughout history that are part of the museum's permanent collection, and a special exhibition gallery has revolving collections for all to enjoy. Be sure to check the website for what is currently available.

Heritage offers plenty of fun things to do for children. In addition to the outdoor nature gardens and spaces, the Treehouse is a fun exploration of interaction as is the popular Hidden Hollow where everyone can splash, play, and do crafts. A 1908 Loff Carousel is also available for indoor fun and displays of locally made items from Sandwich can be viewed.

Visitors can also find carts in different areas on the grounds to ask additional questions such as Native American history. Lily's Cafe is available for all your food and beverage needs, and a gift shop contains plenty of items to purchase. Events occur regularly, check their website for more information.

Transportation spots are available for pickups to drive visitors to areas within the grounds, bubblers are also available as are water bottle refill stations, and restrooms can be found in different areas. If you need a rest, benches and chairs are in various areas, and some visitors bring blankets to rest on the spacious grassy areas. Plenty of shade can also be found with trees and some umbrellas.

Heritage Museums & Gardens has much to offer! Bring your family, friends, and the children to enjoy all...