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About Mayflower 400

Mayflower 400 UK was an honest, broad and inclusive commemoration of the ship’s sailing from England to America and its often challenging legacy.

It marked the 400^th anniversary year from 2018 through 2021 like never before in history.

For the first time, audiences across the globe were taken far beyond the story of the ‘Pilgrim Fathers’ and the one-dimensional version of the Mayflower voyage. It examined the history from multiple angles, explored the experiences of those impacted and told of the ruthless consequences of colonisation.

This anniversary year faced up to these difficult truths and told stories of persecution, loss and oppression as well as exploring the themes of migration, humanity and freedom that underpin its place in history.

The cultural programme worked in tandem with the Wampanoag Nation, the very people who once stood alongside the Mayflower’s passengers but eventually saw their lands and homes brutally taken from them and ultimately the slaughter of their proud people.

The commemoration was a shared history of four nations – the Wampanoag, UK, USA and Netherlands – each committed to unpacking the untold stories and highlighting the experiences of different ethnic groups both in history and today as well as studying both the religious and commercial reasons for the Pilgrims’ journey.

Explore these highly innovative projects, the people behind them and the places linked to the anniversary and how to visit them on this website.

You can also read articles and watch videos on the history of the Mayflower, find educational toolkits and read news about the commemoration and the events programme.