Lancaster Maritime Museum

About the museum

The museum occupies the Custom House on St George's Quay, built in 1764 to designs by Richard Gillow of the Lancaster furniture-making family. It served as the customs house until 1882, when the work moved to Barrow-in-Furness, and has housed the Maritime Museum since 1985. A later bonded warehouse next door is also part of the museum.

The displays follow Lancaster's rise as an international trading port, including its links to the transatlantic slave trade, together with ship models, fishing boats, the Lancaster Canal and the fishing industries of Morecambe Bay. They also cover the crossing of the bay's sands and the bay's natural and social history.

The museum is one of three museums run by Lancaster City Council and also hosts a changing programme of special exhibitions.

Highlights

• Custom House of 1764 on the old quayside
• Lancaster as a trading port and its links to the slave trade
• The Lancaster Canal and local fishing industries
• Crossing Morecambe Bay's sands
• Ship models and fishing boats

Permanent exhibition

• Lancaster's port and Morecambe Bay – Displays on Lancaster as a trading port, the Lancaster Canal, the local fishing industries, ship models and the crossing of Morecambe Bay's sands.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Lancaster City Council

Admission & discounts

Residents of the Lancaster District (postcode areas LA1 to LA6) enter free with proof of address. The £5 ticket is for one adult from outside the district. Free entry with a National Art Pass.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

A lift serves all areas except the small mezzanine gallery. There is one wheelchair-accessible toilet on the ground floor, which also has baby changing facilities. There is one Blue Badge space in front of the museum.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

Getting there & parking

The museum is on St George's Quay on the River Lune waterfront in Lancaster.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

A self-service "Grab and Go Galley" café has indoor seating and dog-friendly outdoor seating in the boatyard. The gift shop sells maritime books, toys and gifts, many of them locally produced.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit