Naval and Maritime Museums: Great Britain

See also Guide to Naval & Maritime Museums in the UK, a series of flat text files maintained by Dr Martin H Evans and Dr Janet West.

England

Aldeburgh

Coastguard Museum

Old Rocket House

Appledore

The North Devon Maritime Museum

Odun Road,
Appledore,
Bideford
Open Easter Saturday - end of September.

Bamburgh

Grace Darling Museum

Radcliffe Road,
Bamburgh.

Birkenhead, Merseyside

Historic Warships at Birkenhead

West Float,
Dock Road,
Birkenhead,
Merseyside L41 1DJ.

Telephone: +44 (0)151 650 1573
Telefax: +44 (0)151 650 1473

Opening hours: Daily.

Museum ships:

Both ships are Falklands veterans of 1982. The HMS Plymouth is a Type 12 Rothesay class frigate and the HMS Onyx is an Oberon class submarine.

Bristol

The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery

Queens Road, Bristol.

Bristol Industrial Museum

Princes Warf,
Prince St,
City Docks,
Bristol BS1 4RN.

Telephone: +44 (0)117 925 1470; 926 0680; 922 3571
Telefax: +44 (0)117 929 7318

Museum ships:

Bristol Maritime Heritage Centre

Great Western Dock,
Gas Ferry Road (Off Cumberland Road),
Wapping Wharf,
Bristol BS1 6TY.

Telephone: +44 (0)117 925 1470
Telefax: +44 (0)117 929 7318

Open daily.

SS Great Britain (1843), Isambard Kingdom Brunel's revoluntionary creation.

National Lifeboat Museum

Princes Warf,
Wapping Road,
Bristol BS1 6TY.

Telephone: +44 (0)1272 213389.

Open April - September.

Brixham

British Fisheries Museum

The Old Market House,
The Quay
Open daily, April-October.

Brixham and HM Coastguard Nautical Museum

Bolton Cross,
Brixham,
Devon TQ5 8LZ.

Telephone: +44 (0)1803 85 6267.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday during Easter - October.

Buckler's Hard

Maritime Museum

Buckler's Hard Village,
Hampshire SO42 7XB.

Telephone: +44 (0)1590 61 6203; 61 2345
Telefax: +44 (0)1590 61 2624

Open daily.

Charlestown

The Shipwreck Centre

Open daily, Easter-October.

Chatham

Chatham Historic Dockyard

Chatham,
Kent ME4 4TE.

Telephone: +44 (0)1634 812551
Telefax: +44 (0)1634 826918.

Opening hours: Easter—October daily; February, March, and November, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Chepstow

Chepstow Museum

Gwy House,
Bridge Street,
Chepstow.
Open weekdays March - October.

Cowes

Bembridge Maritime Museum

Shelbourne Street,
Bembridge,
Isle of Wight PO35 5SB.

Telephone: +44 (0)1983 87 2223; 87 3125

Open daily Easter - October.

Museum ship:

HMS Swordfish a submarine which sunk in 1940.

Cowes Maritime Museum

Beckford Road,
Cowes,
Isle of Wight.
Open Monday - Friday.

Deal

Maritime and Local History Museum

22 St George's Road.
Open daily, May - September.

Douglas

The Manx Nautical Museum

Bridge Street,
Castletown
Isle-of-Man.
Open Monday-Saturday, May-September.
Museum ship:

Duxford

(near Cambridge)

Imperial War Museum

X-craft submarine. Fast patrol boat (circa 1920's).

Eastbourne

RNLI Museum

Grand Parade.

Ellesmore Port

The Boat Museum

Dockyard Road,
Ellesmere Port,
South Wirral,
Cheshire L65 4EF.

Telephone: +44 (0)151 355 5017
Telefax: +44 (0)151 355 4079
WWW: < http://www.canaljunction.com/mustbm.htm>

Open daily, April - October daily 10:00-17:00; November - March 11, Saturday-Thursday 11:00-16:00; Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

Exeter

Maritime Museum

The Haven,
Exeter EX2 8DP.

Telephone: +44 (0)1392 58075

WWW: < http://www.ex.ac.uk/~BJSpaul/guidevt/hist/mari.htm>

This museum has now been closed (1997) and the collection split between two sites, Bristol Industrial Museum and a new museum being set up at Lowestoft. The British vernacular craft goes to Bristol and non-British craft to Lowestoft.

The museum which was founded in 1969 had a collection of more than 100 small working boats from all over the world.

Falmouth

Cornwall Maritime Museum

2 Bell's Court, off Market Street,
Falmouth,
Cornwall TR11 2AZ.
Open daily in the summer; Closed on Sundays during the winter.

Museum ships:

Great Yarmouth

Maritime Museum for East Anglia

25 Marine Parade,
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 2EN.

Telephone: +44 (0)1493 842267.

Open daily except for Sundays during summer plus two weeks around Easter.

RNLI Lifeboat Station

South of Harbour mouth.

Grimsby

Doughty Museum

Town Hall Square

Welholme Galleries

Welholme Road
Open Tuesday - Saturday.

Guernsey

Fort Grey Maritime Museum

Rocquaine Bay,
St Peter's,
Guernsey,
Channel Islands.

Telephone: +44 (0)1481 765036
Telefax: +44 (0)1481 715177.

Opening hours: April - October, daily.

The museum is housed in a Martello Tower from 1804.

Gweek

Gweek Quay Maritime Centre

Head of Helford River
Open daily from spring bank holiday to mid-September.

Exhibits boats from the Exeter Maritime Museum collection.

Hartland Quay

Hartland Quay Museum

Open daily, Whitsun-September.

Harlepool

Maritime Museum

Northgate,
Hartlepool,
Cleveland TS24 0LT.

Telephone: +44 (0)1429 272814; 266522
Telefax: +44 (0)1429 856450

Open Monday - Saturday.

Harwich

Maritime Museum

Low Lighthouse,
The Green
Open during the summer.

Hastings

The Fisherman's Museum

Rock-a-Nore-Road

Holyhead

Holyhead Maritime Museum

St Elbod's Church,
Rhos-y-Gear Avenue.
Open during the summer.

Hull

Spurn Lightship

Marina

Town Docks Museum

Steephill Gardens

Transport and Archaeology Museum

36 High Street,
Kingston-upon-Hull.

King's Lynn

The Lynn Museum

Old Market Street.

Telephone: +44 (0)1553 775001.

Open daily.

Lancaster

Maritime Museum

Old Custom House.
St George's Quay.
Open daily.

Sir William Priestly, fishermen's lifeboat.

Liverpool

Merseyside Maritime Museum

"D" Block,
Albert Dock,
Pier Head
Liverpool L3 4AQ.

Telephone: +44 (0)151 207 0001
Telefax: +44 (0)151 478 4590
E-mail: <maritime@nmgmmh1.demon.co.uk>
WWW: < http://www.connect.org.uk/merseyworld/albert/maritime/>

Opening hours: Daily; Library & Archives: Tuesday-Thursday (appointment recommended).

London

Imperial War Museum

Lambeth Road,
London SE1 6HZ.

Telephone: +44 (0)171 735 8922
Telefax: +44 (0)171 403 0719.

The museum was founded in 1917 and illustrates all aspects of the two world wars and other conflicts which have involved Great Britain and the Commonwealth since 1914. An extensive reference collection of books, documents, films photographs, works of art, three-dimensional objects, and sound recordings are available to the public by appointment.

Hours of opening: 10.00-17.50 on weekdays and 14.00-17.50 on Sundays. Admission is free.

Lloyd's of London

Lime Street,
London EC3M 7HA.

Telephone: +44 (0)171 3276260
Telefax: +44 (0)171 3275599

Opening hours: By appointment only.

Include the Lloyd's Nelson Collection.

The London Canal Museum

12/13 New Wharf Road,
King's Cross,
London N1 9RT.

Telephone: +44 (0)171 713 0836

Open Tuesday - Sunday, Bankholiday Mondays.

Museum of London

London Wall.

National Maritime Museum

Park Row,
Greenwich,
London SE10 9NF.

Telephone: +44 (0)181 858 4422
Telefax: +44 (0)181 312 6632.

WWW:http://www.nmm.ac.uk
WWW (inofficial): http://www.worldserver.pipex.com/sunalliance/sponsor/museum.htm
WWW (inofficial): http://ihr.sas.ac.uk/ihr/maritime/maritime.mnu.html

Opening hours: Daily 10:00-18:00.

Can be reached by train from Charing Cross Station.

The Collections comprise:

There is no charge for visiting the Library but a readers ticket is required to do research at the library. The Library is open Monday-Friday 10:00-17:00 and on Saturdays by appointment only.

See also Military Museums of London.

Science Museum

Exhibition Road.
The ships and marine engineering galleries were formed from models of ships and marine engines initially lent by the Admiralty but acquired in 1864. The museum has a famous collection of "Navy Board" models a of which the model of the Prince (1670) is considered to be the gem of the collection.

Galleries of interest:

London, Thames River

St. Katharine's Dock

Museum ships:

West India Dock

Museum ships:

Lowestoft

Lowestoft & East Suffolk Maritime Museum

Sparrows Nest Gardens,
Whapload Road
Lowestoft,
Suffolk NR32 1XT.

Telephone: +44 (0)1502 561963.

Open daily during the period May - 30 September.

Royal Naval Patrol Service Museum

Sparrows Nest.

Telephone: +44 (0)1502 86250.

Open during the summer.

Maldon

Maldon Maritime Centre

The Hythe.
Open during the summer.

Margate

Lifeboat House

The Rendezvous,
Margate Harbour.
Opening hours: Daily from end of May to end of September.

Maryport

Maritime Museum

1 Shipping Brow,
Senhouse Street.
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday.

Museum ships:

Morwellham

Shamrock Quay Museum

Cotehele Quay,
St Dominick,
Saltash.
Opening hours: Daily, April-October.

Newcastle

Museum of Science and Engineering

Blandford House,
West Blandford Street,
Newcastle.

Museum ships:

Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday.

Penzance

Benbow Museum of Nautical Art

Penzance Maritime Museum

19 Chapel Street
Open Monday-Tuesday.

Exhibits among other things finds from the ships of Sir Cloudesly Shovell's squadron which was wrecked at the Scilly Islands in 1707.

Poole

Lifeboat Museum

West Quay Road

Maritime Museum

Paradise Street, Poole Quay.

Opening hours: Daily.

Portmadog

Gwynedd Maritime Museum

Opening hours: Easter Week and daily from May bank holiday until end of September.

Portsmouth

D-Day Museum

Clarence Esplanade

Opening hours: Daily.

Dockyard Apprentice Museum

Unicorn Gate.

Opening hours: Weekdays, April-September.

Gosport Museum

Wadpole Road.

Opening hours: Tuesday-Saturday.

Royal Naval Museum

H.M. Naval Base (PP66),
Portsmouth,
Hampshire PO1 3NH.

Telephone: +44 (0)23 9272 7562.
Telefax: +44 (0)23 9272 7575.
E-mail:
WWW: http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org

Opening hours: November-March, daily 10:00-16:30; April-October, daily 10:00-17:00.

Museum ships:

The Portsmouth Historic Ships

Naval Armaments Museum

Priddy's Hard,
Hardway,
Gosport.

Royal Marines Museum

Royal Marines Barracks,
Eastney,
Southsea Sea Front.

Telephone: +44 (0)1705 819385.

Opening hours: Daily.

Royal Navy Submarine Museum

Haslar Jetty Road,
Gosport (across from Portsmouth),
Hampshire PO12 2AS.

Telephone: +44 (0)1705 510354
Telefax: +44 (0)1705 511349

Opening hours: Daily.

Museum ships:

A walk-through tour of the HMS Alliance is available.

Ramsgate

Maritime Museum

The Clock House,
Pier Yard,
Royal Harbour
Ramsgate, Kent CT11 8LS.

Telephone: +44 (0)1843 587765

Opening hours: Summer, daily; October - March, Wednesday-Sunday.

Museum ships:

Redcar

Zetland Lifeboat Museum

5 King Street,
Redcar,
Cleveland TS10 3PF.

Telephone: +44 (0)1642 484402; 494311; 471813.

Opening hours: May - September, daily.

An RNLI museum housed in a lifeboat house from 1877. Includes the oldest known lifeboat, the Zetland from 1802.

Salcombe

Island Cruising Club

Museum ships:

St Ives

St Ives Museum

Wheal Dream (harbour area)
St Ives,
Cornwall.

Salcombe

Maritime and Local History Exhibition

Victoria Quay

Scarborough

Lighthouse and Fisheries Museum

Vincent Pier
Opening hours: Daily, May-September.

Sittingbourne

Dolphin Sailing Barge Museum

Crown Quay Lane,
Sittingbourne,
Kent ME10 3SN.

Telephone: +44 (0)1795 423 215

Open Sundays and Bank Holidays during Easter - October.

Museum ship:

The museum is housed in the former barge building and repair yard of Charles Burley Ltd.

South Shields

South Shields' Museum and Art Gallery

Ocean Road,
South Shields.

Southampton

Maritime Museum

Wool House,
Bugle Street,
Southampton,
Hampshire.

Telephone: +44 (0)1703 223 941; 635 904
Telefax: +44 (0)1703 339 601

Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday.

Southwold

Southwold Lifeboat Museum

Bartholomews Green
Open during the summer.

Stoke Bruerne

The Waterways Museum

Whitby

Lifeboat Museum

Scotch Head,
Pier Road.
Opening hours: Daily, May-September.

Windermere

Windermere Steamboat Museum

Rayrigg Road,
Windermere,
Cumbria LA23 1BN.

Telephone: +44 (0)15394 45565.
Telefax: +44 (0)15394 45847
WWW: < http://www.wwwebguides.com/britain/cumbria/lakes/steam.html>

Opening hours: Easter-October, daily.

Steam launches, motor boats and other vintage craft are displayed afloat, in working order and under cover.

The 19th century museum boats:

Yeovilton

Fleet Air Arm Museum

Royal Naval Air Station Ilchester,
Somerset.

Telephone: +44 (0)1935-840551 ext. 521.

Scotland

Aberdeen

Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Provost Ross's House,
Shiprow.

Telephone: +44 (0)1224 58 5788
Telefax: +44 (0)1224 63 2133.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday.

Anstruther

Scottish Fisheries Museum

Harbourhead,
Anstruther,
Fife KY10 3AB.

Telephone: +44 (0)1333 310628.

Opening hours: Daily, April-October.

Museum ships:

Covers ever aspect of the finishing industry, including whaling and industrial salmon fishing as well as the ancillary trades ashore.

Buckie

Buckie Maritime Museum

Townhouse West,
Cluny Place.
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday.

Dundee

Discovery Point

Discovery Quay,
Dundee DD2 5BT.

Telephone: +44 (0)1382 201 245
Telefax: +44 (0)1382 225 891
E-mail: dundeeheritage@sol.co.uk
WWW: http://www.rollos.co.uk/dht/dp.html

Opening hours: April-September, Monday-Saturday 10:00-17:00, Sunday 11:00-17:00; October-March, Monday-Saturday 10:00-16:00, Sunday 11:00-16:00; Closed December 25, January 1-2.

Museum ships:

Glasgow

Glasgow Museum of Transport

Kelvin Hall,
1 Bun House Road,
Glasgow G3 8PZ.

Telephone: +44 (0)141 305 2623; 221 9600
Telefax: +44 (0)141 305 2692.

Opening hours: Daily.

Yorkhill Quay

Glenlee (1896) a three masted barque, ex the Spanish Navy's sail training ship Galatea.

Irvine

Scottish Maritime Museum

Harbourside,
Irvine,
Ayrshire,
Strathclyde.

Postal address: Laird Forge Buildings,
Gottries Road,
Irvine,
Ayrshire KA12 8QE.

Telephone: +44 (0)1294 278 283
Telefax: +44 (0)1294 313 211

Opening hours: Daily, April-October.

Museum ships:

Kirkbean

On the Solway Firth. The cottage where John Paul Jones was born. Opened officially July 6th, 1993.

Lossimouth

Lossimouth Fisheries and Community Museum

Pitgaveny Street
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday, May-September.

Nairn

Nairn Fishertown Museum

Laing Hall,
King Street,
Nairn IV12 4PD,
Highland.

Telephone: +44 (0)1667 456 278

Opening hours: June-September, Monday-Friday.

Wales

Caernarfon

Seiont Maritime Museum

Victoria Dock,
Caernarfon
Opening hours: Easter - end of September.

Museum ships:

Cardiff

The Welsh Folk Museum

St Fagans,
Cardiff.
Opening hours: April - October, daily; November - March, Monday-Saturday.

Has a large collection of Welsh coracles.

Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum

Bute Street,
Cardiff.
Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday.

Museum ships:

Swansea

Swansea Maritime and Industrial Museum

Museum Square,
Maritime Quarter,
Swansea SA1 1SN,
Wales.
Opening hours: Daily.

Museum ships:

Updated 2003-07-14 by Lars Bruzelius.

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives | Maritime Museums | Maritime Museums: Europe | Search.

Copyright © 1996 Lars Bruzelius.