Matthew Legacy
Matthew Legacy
4
About
In 1497, a small wooden ship called the Matthew set sail from Bristol, England destined for the Far East. On board was the Italian explorer Giovanni Caboto with a crew of around twenty men. Within six weeks, they made landfall. They landed, not as intended in the fabled land of Cathay, but on the shores of the New World. Here, they discovered a treasure that would change the course of history.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
186 reviews
Excellent
79
Very good
56
Average
38
Poor
4
Terrible
9
John
Ottawa, Canada3 contributions
Aug 2021
I can appreciate the appeal of a ship-replica in a tourist town, but the colonial narratives in Bonavista truly baffled my wife and I. We are quite used to acknowledging the impacts of colonization on Indigenous peoples as a piece of history to be confronted, not celebrated. All the same I was curious about this museum and how they might tell the story of European contact, however it was an outdated and whitewashed story. I can't say I was surprised, though I wish I had been.
Skip this until they update their storyboards to reflect a true history.
Skip this until they update their storyboards to reflect a true history.
Written November 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glen E
Golden, Canada510 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Visit the replica of the tiny ship that crossed the North Atlantic over 500 years ago.
It is difficult to imagine life aboard this wooden vessel for months on end. Look up the main mast and try to imagine climbing the rigging to take your watch on the crow’s nest.
Learn about why and how ships are measured by tonnage and not weight. Take your time reading the imaginative account of the young boy who goes to sea with John Cabot.
A thoroughly enjoyable two hours or so.
It is difficult to imagine life aboard this wooden vessel for months on end. Look up the main mast and try to imagine climbing the rigging to take your watch on the crow’s nest.
Learn about why and how ships are measured by tonnage and not weight. Take your time reading the imaginative account of the young boy who goes to sea with John Cabot.
A thoroughly enjoyable two hours or so.
Written July 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shauna C
Mount Pearl, Canada208 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We visited the Matthew in 2007 and then again in 2021. The Matthew is permanently in a preservation boat shed. It is great to board this ship and realize how small these ships were- amazing!
The interpretation part of the tour was great. I would recommend that everyone who visits Bonavista do this tour.
The interpretation part of the tour was great. I would recommend that everyone who visits Bonavista do this tour.
Written August 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChrisVanGorder
St. John's, Canada9 contributions
Apr 2023
What a wonderful and worthwhile experience for any age. My wife and I loved it and our seven kids loved visiting Ye Matthew. Tracy the manager/owner of this historical site was incredibly helpful and considerate and our guide was fantastic answering all our questions and offering helpful perspectives on a historical event that is hard to imagine in our modern context. The entire staff seemed like a warm family. The gift shop was filled with unique temptations that we will take from this memory in a positive way. Be sure and visit! We went out of our way from Clarenvile (about 3 hours) but it was worth every minute. The site is beautiful and the exhibit is filled with information and historical perspective. I cannot reccomend this place highly enough. Add it to your list! It is a most unusual experience and our teens asked questions after our visit in a way that was very engaging. Wonderful! Five stars! The van Gorder family
Written April 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PeterBernie
Middlesbrough, United Kingdom210 contributions
Aug 2022
A very interesting museum with all the history of the journey made by the explorer and his crew. There is lots of information the guides were very well informed as well. To be onboard the replica vessel took things to another level. A fantastic experience kids would love it here too.
Written September 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jess25789
Hamilton, Canada86 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
There is nothing much to do here. Just a room with plaques to read. Then you can see a replica boat which is small and not interesting. I'm not sure how this justifies $7.25. No guided your. No more exciting than reading Wikipedia
Written August 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
krisdavden
New York City, NY50 contributions
Aug 2019 • Friends
You enter a room that has many panels describing the experiences of a young man as he grows up, and travels with John Cabot from England to Bonavista, NL. Nicely done, I enjoyed it. However, it requires a lot of reading. It might lose the interest of those not capable/interested in all that reading. Maybe a movie or some good a/v material would help?
When we finally got in to board the replica, the young man there volunteered no information, and seemed thoroughly bored. Our visit lasted a mere few minutes.
The experience was underwhelming.
When we finally got in to board the replica, the young man there volunteered no information, and seemed thoroughly bored. Our visit lasted a mere few minutes.
The experience was underwhelming.
Written August 13, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cynderella43
Fort Lauderdale, Florida505 contributions
Aug 2017 • Family
This museum takes you on the journey of John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) from when he was young lad until the time he set sail on the Matthew in 1497 from Bristol to North America.
After the history part, you then enter a room where an actual replica of the Matthew is housed. I recommend to go on it and explore all areas. It was really cool to sit there and try to imagine what life must have been like for these poor fellows and how difficult it was.
If in the area, I would DEFINITELY RECOMMEND going to check it out.
PS - If this review was helpful, please click the THANK YOU button on your computer or the HELPFUL button on your smart phone. I'd appreciate it. Thanks! :-D
After the history part, you then enter a room where an actual replica of the Matthew is housed. I recommend to go on it and explore all areas. It was really cool to sit there and try to imagine what life must have been like for these poor fellows and how difficult it was.
If in the area, I would DEFINITELY RECOMMEND going to check it out.
PS - If this review was helpful, please click the THANK YOU button on your computer or the HELPFUL button on your smart phone. I'd appreciate it. Thanks! :-D
Written October 15, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TJA44
Windsor and Maidenhead, UK249 contributions
Sep 2014 • Couples
I'm from Bristol where Cabot sailed from...I did my research made a study in fact. This was the prime purpose of our visit to Newfoundland to see the Mathew and the Bristol settlement in Cupids Cove. In anticipation we had driven up the Discovery Trail following the Matthew signs, ...the tourist board told us it is open until 25th September but when we got there is was to discover that it was very shut. What's more we were told that it had closed on Labor Day that's the beginning of September! ( So what the reviewers below saw I can't imagine! ) Nothing to see but a shed with covered up windows.Not a good sight in Bonavista.
Written October 29, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Valerie T
San Francisco, CA77 contributions
Aug 2014 • Friends
It was an extraordinary experience to stand on the replica of the ship that John Cabot sailed from England to Newfoundland in the 15th century. We explored the deck and the hold and I can only imagine what adventures and challenges the crew faced in crossing the Atlantic. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and I loved how the interpretation centre established context using pictures, artifacts, and a first-hand account of a fictional young barber-surgeon who cared for the captain and crew aboard the Matthew.
Written August 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How much time would you allot to this visit? Is it all in the one large building? There seemed to be out buildings/gift shop in back.
Written October 10, 2016
I think 45 minutes to an hour would do it. I'm very interested in history so read each placard and enjoyed it all. the ship was in dry dock through a set of doors to the left and the exit takes you through the gift shop.
Written October 11, 2016
I am confused by the recent reviews. We are coming to Bonavista in August 2016 - can you walk on the ship, go inside the rooms etc or is it under renovation?
Written April 5, 2016
The interpretive centre is in the large building that also houses the ship. You can go on board and see all of it although some of the smaller cabins are roped off but open to see. We really enjoyed the museum part as well as the ship and it was a perfect way to spend a really wet day .... worth going even on a dry day !!!
Written April 5, 2016
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