Harwich Lifeboat Museum

About the museum

The Harwich Lifeboat Museum is housed in the former lifeboat house of 1876 at Harwich Quay. It began in 1993, when the Harwich Society heard that Cromer was looking for a home for a surplus lifeboat. The Society leased the empty lifeboat house from Essex County Council, moved the boat in during December 1993 and opened the museum on the first day of the 1994 Harwich Festival. The boat's wheelhouse and mast had to be removed to fit it inside.

The centrepiece is the Oakley-class lifeboat Valentine Wyndham-Quin, a 37-foot self-righting boat that served between 1967 and 1988. A walkway allows visitors to look over the boat and walk through its wheelhouse. Display boards list the lifeboats stationed at Harwich since 1876, and photographs, models and a video tell the story of local rescues.

Outside stands the boarding boat City of Leicester, which served Walton Lifeboat Station from 1932 to 1985. A small shop sells RNLI souvenirs. The museum is run by volunteers of the Harwich Society.

Highlights

• Oakley-class lifeboat Valentine Wyndham-Quin with walkway through the wheelhouse
• Boards listing Harwich lifeboats since 1876
• Boarding boat City of Leicester outside
• Photographs, models and rescue video

Permanent exhibition

• Lifeboat Valentine Wyndham-Quin – An Oakley-class lifeboat with a walkway through its wheelhouse, plus boards, photographs, models and a video on Harwich lifeboats.

Founded

1994

Operated by

Harwich Society

Admission & discounts

Adults £1; accompanied children free.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By road, take the A120 to Harwich Quay, turn right into Kings Quay Street, then left into Wellington Road.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Small shop selling RNLI souvenirs.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit