This Unique Medieval-Style Castle On Massachusetts' North Shore Is Filled With Fascinating Artifacts

Massachusetts has many coastal gems among its northern towns and cities, and Gloucester is known for beautiful beaches, whale watching, and being America's oldest seaport. What most people don't know is that it's also home to one of the most unique and fascinating pieces of property open to the public just north of Boston — the Hammond Castle Museum. 

Once the private residence of John Hays Hammond Jr., who built the castle from 1926 to 1929 with the intent of housing his extensive collection of historical artifacts, the museum is now committed to being a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) organization. With a mission of highlighting the importance of these subjects in education, the private non-profit aims to foster the same curiosity in its visitors that shaped Hammond's contributions to the areas of radio control, technology, and innovation.

Visitors can make the hour-long drive from Boston, which is home to America's oldest public park, to witness this spectacle. Situated right on the sea, this medieval-style castle will transport visitors to another place and time (yes, it even has a drawbridge). Keenly aware of the privilege his family wealth provided, it was Hammond's intent to evoke the feeling of being in Europe within the castle walls, thereby transporting visitors who may not have the means to leave the country to a new and exciting destination in Massachusetts. Hammond's vision lives on today for all guests of the castle. With guided and self-guided touring options, as well as a host of exhibitions and seasonal events, there's no shortage of things to see during your visit.

To understand all that Hammond Castle Museum has to offer, you must first consider the vision of its creator, John Hays Hammond Jr. It was always the eccentric inventor's intention for the property to become a museum that would be open to the public. He wished for the castle to become his lasting legacy, as he feared the world at large would not remember him for his inventions due to the nature and speed of technological advancement.

The museum staff are well educated in Hammond's achievements and passionate about sharing them with visitors. Hammond Castle's executive director, Linda Harvey, explains in an interview with WBZ News, "He has over 510 patents... He worked on things like robotics and guided missiles. He's known as the Father of Radio Control." In fact, Hammond's interest in all things electronic inspired some very unique castle features. The interior courtyard of the castle, equipped with salvaged pieces from French marketplaces and an impressive 30,000-gallon indoor pool, is an undeniable favorite for visitors of the property and hides a very special secret. Through an advanced indoor weather control system, Hammond could actually make it rain, as well as mimic fog, sunrise, sunset, and moonlight.

Today, guests of Hammond Castle have many opportunities to learn more about the inventor himself, including touring a library equipped with special acoustics that make it possible to hear conversations all over the room, a war room, and even the inventor's laboratory.

John Hays Hammond Jr. lived in Hammond Castle with his wife Irene, and the property was turned into a museum after their deaths. The couple enjoyed welcoming famous visitors like Walt Disney into their home for many years, and today it can be enjoyed by the public at large. The price of admission on weekdays is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $10 for children, with slightly higher rates on weekends. It should be noted that the property is not ADA accessible due to being on the National Preservation list.

Your tour of Hammond Castle will likely begin with its impressive drawbridge, and then you'll venture inside to see the castle's Great Hall, where Hammond was known to throw extravagant parties. The room boasts a 65-foot ceiling, as well as an organ with over 8,000 pipes. Tour guide Donovan LaFontaine explains that there are "artifacts in this room sometimes dating back as far as the third century, all the way up to the big 15th century Renaissance period as well." The collection is as wide and varied as the interests of Hammond himself, and they can be found all throughout the property, including in the interior courtyard, hallways, and bedrooms.

Hammond Castle can be compared to the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum, another well-known, world-class east coast art museum where one of America's most famous heists took place. Both properties offer unique representations of their previous owners, so don't miss the opportunity to experience this truly special place.