Barmouth RNLI Lifeboat Museum

About the museum

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution opened its first station at Barmouth in 1828, after many ships had been wrecked on the coast nearby. A new self-righting boat followed in 1852, funded mostly by local subscription. Humphrey Jones served as coxswain for 26 years from 1866, and the binoculars presented to him in 1892 are among the objects shown in the museum area.

The station kept two Jones-Gibb lifeboats between 1885 and 1939, when its first motor lifeboat arrived. An inshore lifeboat station was added in 1967, and in 1982 the Princess of Wales became the first Barmouth lifeboat with radar. The present boathouse, the station’s third site, was completed in 2004 and houses a Shannon class all-weather lifeboat and a D class inshore boat.

The museum is a small display inside the working station. It covers the station’s history and rescues, the work of the RNLI, crew equipment and old photographs of boats and their volunteer crews. Access inside depends on volunteers being available.

Highlights

• Local lifeboat history since 1828
• Crew equipment and old photographs of boats and volunteer crews
• Binoculars presented to coxswain Humphrey Jones in 1892
• Close view of the station’s lifeboats and launch vehicles
• Volunteer-run lifeboat shop

Permanent exhibition

• Lifeboat museum section – A small display on the history of Barmouth lifeboat station and its rescues, with crew equipment, old photographs and objects such as a coxswain’s binoculars from 1892.

Operated by

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The RNLI station page lists parking, disabled parking and disabled access, without further detail.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The station is on the waterfront at The Promenade, off the A496.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Barmouth and District Lifeboat Shop in the lifeboat station, run by volunteers; the lifeboat museum section is within the shop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.