Bermuda Heritage Museum

A tribute to black Bermudian history, the Bermuda Heritage Museum (Samaritans Lodge, tel. 441/297-4126, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Tues.–Sat., closed holidays, $3 adults, $2 children, under five free) opened in 1998 in a historically relevant building. The 19th-century lodge belonged to the Grand United Order of Good Samaritans, one of the largest so-called “Friendly Societies,” which aided newly freed blacks before and after Emancipation in 1834. The museum records the story of slavery and these societies, as well as related symbols and other folklore such as the gombey tradition and the origins of Cup Match. One of the recommended stops on the African Diaspora Trail, the museum highlights historical milestones of black pride, notably the 1959 Theatre Boycott, a protest by black moviegoers that brought about the end of official racial segregation in restaurants, hotels, and schools. Black entrepreneurs, sporting figures, and politicians are also honored.