Dock Museum
Free museum built over a 19th-century dry dock, telling the story of Barrow-in-Furness, its shipbuilding, industry and people.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Dock Museum stands on the Walney Channel in Barrow-in-Furness and is built over a dry dock dating from the nineteenth century. The channel-side location is part of the shipbuilding landscape of the town. The museum is run by the local council, now Westmorland and Furness Council.
The galleries follow the story of Barrow and the Furness peninsula through objects, photographs and displays. Themes include the area’s early history, from the Romans and Vikings to Victorian Barrow, the growth of the iron and steel works and the Furness Railway, and the shipbuilding industry with its ship launches. Other displays cover the two world wars, including the Barrow Blitz.
The collection includes the large Vickers photographic archive of shipbuilding, and more than half of the collection can be searched online. Outside there is a sea-themed playground, picnic tables, a sculpture and a lifeboat beside the channel.
Highlights
- Museum built over a 19th-century dry dock
- Galleries on shipbuilding and ship launches in Barrow
- Furness Railway, iron and steel works and Victorian Barrow
- Barrow in the First and Second World Wars
- Vickers shipbuilding photographic archive, partly online
- Sea-themed playground beside the Walney Channel
Permanent exhibitions
- Objects and Stories – Galleries on the history of Barrow and Furness, from the Romans and Vikings to Victorian Barrow, the iron and steel works, the railway and the wars.
- Shipbuilding in Barrow – The story of shipbuilding in Barrow and its ship launches.
- Founded
- 1907
- Operated by
- Westmorland and Furness Council
- Visitors per year
- approx. 68,000
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Adults | free |
|---|---|
| Groups | –School tours cost £40 per tour. |
Admission to the museum is free. Car parking is free for three hours.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Step-free access and automatic doors at the main entrance, accessible toilets on the ground floor, a lowered section of the front desk and clear signage. Free wheelchairs and lightweight portable seats can be borrowed, a hearing loop is available at reception and free sensory backpacks can be used in the museum. Six accessible parking bays and a drop-off point are near the entrance. Assistance dogs are welcome; other dogs are not allowed. The museum won a 2025 Cumbria Tourism award for accessibility and inclusivity.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
Quizzes, a sea-themed adventure playground, picnic tables and spacious baby-change facilities. Free drop-in Stay and Play craft sessions run on Wednesdays in school holidays, and a Tiddlers explorer group is held for toddlers. Free sensory backpacks are available.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
North Road stop
Direct trains run from Carlisle, Manchester and Lancaster; the station is a 1 mile walk away. Main bus routes into Barrow are X6 from Kendal, 6 from Windermere and 6 from Ulverston. The nearest public transport stop is 100 yards away on North Road.
By car
Free parking
Free parking for three hours; six spaces for disabled visitors. An electric vehicle charging point is available (charges apply). A cycle shed is near the entrance.
- Accessible parking
Enter Barrow from the A590 or A5087 and follow the brown and white tourist signs. The museum is on the Walney to Wear cycle route.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Coat check: not available
- Lockers: not available
- Wi-Fi
Free open Wi-Fi in the galleries, shop and café. The Bridge Café serves light meals, snacks, cakes and hot drinks, with gluten-free and vegetarian options. Picnic tables outside. Personal belongings cannot be stored.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Photography | Photography is welcome in the museum. |
| Good to know | Key Stage 1 and 2 school tours are offered on topics such as the Barrow story, Victorian Barrow, the Second World War blitz and the museum’s objects; groups can enquire by email. The museum asks visitors to eat only in the café or picnic areas. A free app offers extra activities and guided walks. |
