Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre
Museum at Alexandra Dock telling the story of Grimsby's 1950s fishing fleet, with recreated trawler interiors and the restored trawler Ross Tiger.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The centre opened in 1991 on Alexandra Dock, the historic heart of Grimsby's fishing port, as the National Fishing Heritage Centre. It shows the heyday of the town's fishing fleet in the 1950s, using preserved trawler interiors and carefully made recreations. It was known from the start for its multi-sensory displays and life-like figures, and it won tourism and children's museum awards in 1993.
The Ross Tiger, a Grimsby side trawler of 1957, is moored beside the building. Great Grimsby Borough Council restored her as a tribute to the town's trawlermen and she opened to the public in 1992. She is thought to be the oldest surviving diesel side trawler in the UK, and guides, many of them former trawlermen, take visitors aboard. A sail trawler, the Perseverance, is displayed in the main atrium.
The centre is run by North East Lincolnshire Council as part of its museum service, which holds the collection for the area. Notable holdings include the Doughty collection of maritime art, ship models and chinaware, left to the town in 1941 by Wilfred Vere Doughty. The centre has a long-running schools programme and received the Sandford Award for Heritage Education for a second time in 2021.
Highlights
- Ross Tiger, a restored 1957 side trawler that visitors can board on a guided tour
- Recreated 1950s trawler interiors and dockside scenes
- Sail trawler Perseverance in the main atrium
- Doughty collection of maritime art and ship models
- Galley Café open to museum visitors and the public
Permanent exhibitions
- Ross Tiger – A restored 1957 Grimsby side trawler moored beside the centre, shown on guided tours led by former trawlermen.
- The 1950s fishing fleet – Recreated trawler interiors and dockside scenes showing life on board and ashore in Grimsby's fishing heyday.
- Founded
- 1991
- Operated by
- North East Lincolnshire Council
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £6.50Students, senior citizens and visitors with mobility difficulties |
| Children & teens | £4.50Children under 5 are not allowed on the Ross Tiger. |
| Seniors | £6.50 |
| Visitors with disabilities | £6.50Visitors with mobility difficulties. |
| Students & apprentices | £6.50 |
| Groups | –Group bookings and annual passes: call the centre. |
| Families | £19Up to 2 adults and up to 4 children, excluding the Ross Tiger tour. |
| Ross Tiger tour, adult (added to admission) | £3.50Concession £2.50, child £1.50; tours are booked at the entry desk on the day. |
| Family ticket including Ross Tiger tour | £26Up to 2 adults and up to 4 children. |
Access to the ground-floor gallery, gift shop and café is free. Visits to the Ross Tiger need a separate tour ticket and are not possible for children under 5.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entrance is step-free with automatic doors, and four Blue Badge bays are directly outside. A lift serves all floors, and reception, the accessible toilet, shop and café are on the step-free ground floor. The Ross Tiger is not accessible to visitors with mobility difficulties, but a virtual tour of the ship is available online. Assistance dogs are welcome and the café can provide water. Free sensory backpacks (with ear defenders and a seagull trail) can be borrowed. There is no hearing loop, no Changing Places toilet, no quiet room and no loan of wheelchairs or scooters. Tactile signage is by the toilets and on the main stairs, and information panels use large print of at least 18 pt.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | £19 · Up to 2 adults and up to 4 children, excluding the Ross Tiger tour. |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
The centre uses multi-sensory displays, object handling and hands-on interactives and has a long-running school programme. A Seagull Trail sheet and free sensory backpacks are available. Children under 5 cannot go aboard the Ross Tiger.
Getting there & parking
By car
Paid parking
There is a pay and display car park alongside the centre. Pay and display parking is also available a short walk away at Freshney Place Shopping Centre. Four Blue Badge bays are immediately outside the main entrance.
- Accessible parking
The centre is off Corporation Road, next to Sainsbury's, at Alexandra Dock.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
The Galley Café serves hot drinks, cakes, breakfast and lunch and is open to everyone, whether or not they visit the museum. The area of the café with the large model liner has no background music. Meeting rooms are available.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
Meeting rooms are listed among the facilities.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Ross Tiger tours last 45 minutes to an hour and are booked at the entry desk; they cannot run for a single person, and flat footwear is required. Tours can be given in other languages, including Arabic, Dutch and Spanish, on request at reception. School visits cost £7 per child, with teachers and helpers free, and are booked through the education officer. |
