Eyemouth Museum
An independent volunteer-run museum in the old Auld Kirk, telling the story of the fishing town of Eyemouth and the disaster of 1881.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Eyemouth Museum is based in the Auld Kirk in the centre of the town and records the fishing and social heritage of Eyemouth through its objects and the memories of local people. It is an independent museum with charitable status, run by a board of trustees and a small group of volunteers, and it gained full accreditation in 2011. It also serves as a visitor information point and has a gift shop.
The displays begin with the long link between the town and the sea, from the medieval fishing rights of the monks of Coldingham Priory to the herring fleets of the 19th century, and show the trades that supported them, such as coopering, net making and the work of the fisher lassies. A reconstructed fisherman's kitchen shows how a family lived and worked at home in the 19th century.
A central theme is the Great Disaster of 14 October 1881, when a sudden storm caught the fishing fleet at sea. The Eyemouth Tapestry, stitched by a team of local women, records the names of the lost fishermen, and the installation The Pickit Men by Emma McKenzie remembers the 129 men lost from Eyemouth with clay figures. A virtual reality tour explains the 16th-century fort that once stood in the town.
Highlights
- Eyemouth Tapestry commemorating the 1881 fishing disaster
- The Pickit Men installation of 129 clay figures
- Reconstructed 19th-century fisherman's kitchen
- Virtual reality tour of Eyemouth Fort
- Fishing, farming and social history displays
Permanent exhibitions
- The Eyemouth Tapestry – A tapestry stitched by local people that commemorates the 1881 fishing disaster and records the names of the lost fishermen.
- The Pickit Men – An installation by Emma McKenzie of 129 shrouded clay figures, grouped in boat crews, that remembers the Eyemouth men who died in 1881.
- From Farming to Fishing – The development of Eyemouth's harbour and fishing industry, with the trades that supported it and a reconstructed fisherman's kitchen.
- Founded
- 1982
- Operated by
- Eyemouth Museum Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £4Concessions |
| Children & teens | freeAccompanied children are free; unaccompanied children are not admitted. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers enter free. |
| Groups | –Groups of up to 20 visitors can be accommodated by prior arrangement. |
Admission is paid at reception. Accompanied children and carers are free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- 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 museum states that it is wheelchair accessible. No further details are published.
Kids & families
Accompanied children enter free. The reconstructed 19th-century kitchen is a part of the museum that children are particularly drawn to.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Eyemouth is served by local buses; the museum refers visitors to local bus timetables.
By car
Parking available
The museum says there is ample parking throughout Eyemouth; it has no car park of its own.
The museum is in the centre of Eyemouth, about 15 minutes from Berwick-upon-Tweed and just off the A1.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Gift shop in the museum, with an online shop for prints and gifts. The museum also acts as a visitor information point.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Groups of up to 20 visitors can be received by prior arrangement, and guided tours can be arranged. Schools, nurseries and groups are welcome. The upstairs exhibition area can be used for discussions and packed lunches, and the museum takes part in the Eyemouth Heritage Partnership with Gunsgreen House and Eyemouth Maritime Centre. School resource packs are being updated. |
