Visit the Maria Mitchell Museum During Your Stay at 76 Main Ink Press Hotel
A Nantucket story worth looking up to
Some island experiences widen the view. For us, the story of Maria Mitchell has always done exactly that.
Maria Mitchell was born on Nantucket in 1818 and went on to become an astronomer, educator, naturalist, and America’s first professional female astronomer after her comet discovery in 1847 brought her international recognition. Her legacy continues through the Maria Mitchell Association, whose work connects visitors to astronomy, science, history, and the natural world across Nantucket.
Why it feels especially fitting at 76 Main
At 76 Main Ink Press Hotel, that connection feels more than nearby. It feels woven into the stay.
One of our guest rooms nods directly to Maria Mitchell, with design details that evoke sleeping under the stars while artfully sharing the history of Maria and the museum. It is a quiet layer of the experience, but a meaningful one, especially on an island where curiosity, observation, and storytelling have long shaped the local character.
Look up at Loines Observatory
For guests spending time with the Maria Mitchell story, Loines Observatory is one of the most memorable places to continue it. The observatory’s two domes house a restored antique 8-inch Alvan Clark telescope and a 24-inch research telescope, and it serves both as a working research observatory and a setting for public astronomical programs. The Maria Mitchell Association also offers open-night stargazing there, with astronomers guiding visitors through Nantucket’s night sky, constellations, planets, and deep-sky objects.
There is something especially compelling about experiencing Nantucket this way. By day, the island is all harbor light, weathered shingles, and familiar streets. By night, at Loines, it becomes something else as well: quieter, wider, and full of perspective.
A meaningful addition to a stay at 76 Main
For guests looking for things to do near 76 Main Ink Press Hotel, the Maria Mitchell Association offers a different kind of island memory. The Historic Mitchell House, Vestal Street Observatory, and Loines Observatory each add dimension to a Nantucket itinerary, whether you are drawn to history, science, or simply the pleasure of seeing the island through another lens. The Association’s public sites include the Historic Mitchell House, Loines Observatory, Vestal Street Observatory, the aquarium, and natural science museum.
We often think of Nantucket as a place defined by landscape. It is that, certainly. But it is also a place shaped by intellect, inquiry, and people like Maria Mitchell, whose influence still reaches across the island. A visit to Loines Observatory makes that legacy feel immediate. And from our perspective at 76 Main, it is one of the island’s most distinctive ways to look a little closer.