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Betty's Hope, St. John's

3.6
#1 of 10 in Museums in Antigua and Barbuda
History Museum · Museum
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See an important Antiguan historical site at Betty's Hope, the ruins of the island's first large sugar plantation. Established in 1650 during the years of British colonial rule, the plantation used slave labor in the large-scale production of sugar for generations. The site now functions as an open-air museum focused on commemorating the many lives exploited here. Two restored windmills once used to extract juice from sugarcane dominate the grounds; elsewhere you'll find a cistern complex, along with the ruins of the old estate house, a boiling house, and a distillery. Come with a tour or visit on your own; consider reading up on the history in advance as the signage may not cover all the details. Make your St. John's itinerary with Inspirock to find out what to see and where to go.
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Betty's Hope reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.0
938 reviews
Google
4.2
TripAdvisor
  • We visited one morning and straight away were accosted by the “women under the tree” who insisted we pay them there. I don’t think it was legitimate paying them there… as we were then asked to pay... 
    We visited one morning and straight away were accosted by the “women under the tree” who insisted we pay them there. I don’t think it was legitimate paying them there… as we were then asked to pay...  more »
  • We toured the museum house and walked the grounds. The foundation of the house was visible, lots of trees and on the hot day the shade was appreciated. 
    We toured the museum house and walked the grounds. The foundation of the house was visible, lots of trees and on the hot day the shade was appreciated.  more »
Google
  • Extremely interesting site that stands as a fascinating/sobering reminder of the colonial history of the island. Seeing a fully restored sugar mill in the flesh was amazing and the story of the largest sugar plantation on the island is well detailed through plaques and the museum. Absolutely worth a visit to understand the other side of the history alongside English Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard. Highly recommended.
  • A must-see to understand Antigua’s troubling history. Run by a local conservation group, there’s a mixture of ruins and some restored components. Visitors are encouraged to make a $2 USD donation to help with future restoration efforts. There’s a small museum room that provides some overarching context with artefacts (with WC facilities) and each of the ruined buildings has a plaque with a little additional information. The restored windmill is quite a landmark, and the ruins of the rum distillery are impressive too. Some great wildlife on-site, we saw a green hummingbird! Quite a lot of guided tours stop through this area - we had 30 minutes with Antigua Voyages Scenic Tour, could have spent 45-60 minutes quite easily.

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