An Artsy Day in Provincetown: PAAM, Local Shops and Burgers by the Water

There is never really a bad time to wander around Provincetown, but I have to admit — September might be one of my favorite times to do it.

Summer hasn’t completely packed its bags yet. The shops are still open, there is plenty happening around town, you can still grab lunch by the water, and you get to experience Provincetown after some of the height-of-summer crowds have started to thin.

And if you love art, good food and walking around with absolutely no urgency to be anywhere, I have a little afternoon for you.

Start with art.

Then wander.

Then eat.

That is the itinerary. 

Start at PAAM

First things first: that “PAAM place” actually has a full name.

Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) sits in Provincetown’s East End at 460 Commercial Street, and if you have spent any amount of time exploring Provincetown, you already know how important art is to the identity of this town.

PAAM has been part of that story for more than 100 years, functioning as a museum, artists’ association, cultural resource and art school. Inside are five galleries featuring work connected to Provincetown artists, both historic and contemporary, with exhibitions changing throughout the year.

And this is where I want you to slow down.

Don’t walk through a museum like you’re trying to complete an assignment.

Look.

Read the artist names.

Stand in front of the piece that catches your attention.

Go back to something if you need to.

Part of exploring the culture of a place is getting to know the people creating inside of it.

And Provincetown has been drawing artists for generations.

There Is a Lot to See Right Now

If you visit this September, PAAM currently has several exhibitions on view, including From the Pier, which looks at Provincetown through its piers, wharves, harbor and working waterfront; Enduring Inspiration, celebrating the continuing creative legacy of Provincetown and the Outer Cape; Midge Battelle: Love Letter to a Dream; and Amy Kandall’s interactive ceramic installation Future Art(ifacts): Practical Magic.

But there is one exhibition I especially love for the Local Culture mission.

The Members’ 12×12

Through September 13, PAAM is hosting its annual Members’ 12×12 Exhibition and Silent Auction.

Every participating work is made by a PAAM member and offered for sale through the auction. Bidding begins at $150, with proceeds generally split between the artist and PAAM; some participating artists donate their portion back to the museum as well.

That means you can walk into the museum, discover an artist whose work you have never seen before and potentially leave as someone who helped support that artist’s practice.

And I want us to do more of that.

Supporting local art does not always mean purchasing a giant painting for thousands of dollars. It can mean visiting an exhibition. Buying a smaller piece when you can. Purchasing from the museum shop. Attending an opening. Following the artist. Sharing their work. Taking a workshop.

Artists need audiences too.

Then Walk Commercial Street

After the museum, do not rush back to the car.

You are already on Commercial Street.

Walk.

This is one of my favorite parts of Provincetown anyway.

Go into the little shops that catch your eye. Look at the art. Look at the clothes. Find the jewelry made by somebody locally. 

Provincetown is one of those places where simply walking around becomes part of the activity.

And especially when we talk about supporting local culture, I want us to remember that spending locally matters.

That little gallery.

That independent shop.

That maker whose work is sitting on a shelf.

That artist whose painting stopped you in the window.

You don't have to buy something everywhere you go, but go inside.

Discover people.

Ask questions.

That is how we keep creative communities alive.

Now We Eat

Eventually all of this cultural exploration is going to make you hungry.

Keep walking toward the center of town and head to Mean Burgers Ptown at 207 Commercial Street.

Mean Burgers is located inside the Aquarium Marketplace, which is basically perfect if you are with people who can never agree on where to eat because there are multiple food vendors inside. Mean Burgers brings a Caribbean influence to classic fast food, with burgers, chicken sandwiches, plantains and other options on the menu.

And once you get your food, do not sit inside unless the weather makes you.

Keep walking through the marketplace.

Because out back is Aqua Bar and its waterfront deck overlooking Provincetown Harbor.

You can grab your food from one of the vendors inside, walk it out to the open-seating deck, order a drink from the bar and sit right on the water. Aqua Bar was designed around exactly that setup: food from the neighboring marketplace vendors, drinks from the bar and harbor views from the deck.

This is where you sit down.

You have walked enough. 

Burger.

Fries.

Drink if you want one.

Harbor in front of you.

Provincetown moving around you.

Perfect.

And This Is Exactly Why I Like Provincetown in September

Would I recommend doing this during summer?

Absolutely.

But I might recommend it even more in September.

You still get the energy of Provincetown without feeling like every inch of Commercial Street belongs to somebody else's vacation itinerary.

There is a little more room to wander.

A little more time to stop.

And that makes an arts-and-culture day especially nice because you can actually pay attention to the town instead of simply moving through crowds.

Spend some time at the museum.

Explore the galleries and shops.

Buy something from an artist if you fall in love with it.

Have a burger.

Sit by the water.

And don't over-plan the rest.

Sometimes the best way to experience Provincetown is simply to give yourself a starting point and let the town take it from there.

Plan Your Visit

PAAM is currently open daily from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. and until 8 p.m. on Fridays. General admission is $15, children 17 and younger are free, and the museum currently offers free admission on Fridays from 5–8 p.m.

And if you happen to be planning a September trip, PAAM's September 18 Free Friday also includes public receptions for several exhibitions, plus the Museum School is hosting a free open house that afternoon with artmaking, collage, found poetry and printmaking.

Explore current PAAM exhibitions and events

Local Culture Tip

Give yourself at least half a day.

PAAM may be the reason you head to that end of Commercial Street, but the shops, galleries, food and waterfront are the reason you shouldn't be in a hurry to leave.

Because Provincetown's arts culture isn't contained inside one museum.

It spills out onto Commercial Street.