Massachusetts Mayflower II Pilgrim Ship Set to Relaunch

Following an incredible three-year restoration, the Mayflower II pilgrim ship will be officially relaunched on 7th September 2019 from the Mystic Seaport Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

An engaging program of speakers and entertainment will set the stage for the ceremonial christening before the ship is lowered into the Mystic River for the first time since her restoration began in November 2016.

The Mayflower II is a replica of the 17th-century ship Mayflower, celebrated for transporting the Pilgrims to the New World. The ship was built in Devon, England between 1955–1956 and was a gift from the UK to the USA. She originally was sailed from Plymouth, Devon on April 20, 1957, recreating the original voyage across the Atlantic Ocean.

The newly restored Mayflower will play a central role in the events of the Plymouth 400 in 2020, marking 400 years since the Pilgrim settlers landed in Massachusetts.

The original Mayflower landed at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620, where the first colony in New England was established. The story of the Pilgrim settlers’ struggle to survive against the odds was a pivotal moment in American history and their attitudes and determination have become a quintessential part of the national character.

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