Bahamas: Pirate of Nassau Museum

When Bria (five) heard the taxi driver utter the words "pirate museum" on the drive from the Nassau airport, she was sold. A block up from the Straw Market at King and George Streets in Nassau, the museum is a fun interactive stop for young and old.

We were greeted outside the museum by a playful pirate, and directed to the gift shop, where we began our journey.

Once we had paid the admission fee ($13 for adults, and for kids 4-17, $6.50), the pirate led us along a corridor to the entrance to the museum, setting the stage as he walked. The year is 1716. We step onto a moonlit dock, surrounded by the sounds of lapping water and pirates celebrating their successes in a tavern. Beside us is a replica of the ship "Revenge," the scene of our exploration of the lives of bloodthirsty Caribbean pirates.

The Pirates of Nassau Museum is small, but filled with interesting stories of how pirates lived and died, keeping all of us engaged from beginning to end. A couple of parts were a little bit scary, but we breezed over those without it causing any issues.

One of our favorite parts was the story of two woman pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. These tough women have an incredibly interesting story, made even more mystical by the abrubt end to the story of Bonny, and the abundant theories on what may have happened to her after she escaped execution by turning up pregnant.

At the end of the tour, there is a small collection of artifacts, along with a few items from modern popular culture to browse before stepping out into the bar and gift shop. Snacks and drinks are available, and reasonably priced.