Shipwreck Museum
Free museum on the Hastings seafront with finds from Channel shipwrecks, local fossils and two lifeboats, run by an independent charity.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Shipwreck Museum in the Old Town of Hastings was founded in 1986 as the Shipwreck Heritage Centre. It was later renamed the Shipwreck and Coastal Heritage Centre and then took its present name. It is run by the Nautical Museums Trust, an independent charity, with the help of volunteers, and entry is free.
The collection concentrates on ships wrecked in the English Channel between the Goodwin Sands in Kent and Pevensey Bay in East Sussex. Two wrecks lie on the Hastings shore and feature strongly: the Dutch East Indiaman Amsterdam, which ran aground in 1749, and the warship Anne of 1690. Finds from other wrecks and from the Roman period onwards add to the story of the coast.
The museum also shows local fossils, including dinosaur bones from the area around Hastings, and presents the material with sound, touch and smell as a multi-sensory museum. Two lifeboats, the Priscilla MacBean and the Cyril and Lilian Bishop, were added in recent years. The museum offers guided walks to the Amsterdam wreck and sessions for schools and groups.
Highlights
- Finds from the Dutch East Indiaman Amsterdam (1749)
- Warship Anne of 1690
- Local fossils including Baryonyx, Polacanthus and Iguanodon
- Two historic lifeboats
- Multi-sensory displays with sound, touch and smell
Permanent exhibitions
- Shipwrecks of the Channel coast – Finds from wrecks including the Dutch East Indiaman Amsterdam of 1749 and the warship Anne of 1690.
- Fossils and dinosaurs – Local fossils, including dinosaur bones from the Hastings area such as Baryonyx, Polacanthus and Iguanodon.
- Founded
- 1986
- Operated by
- Nautical Museums Trust
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Adults | free |
|---|---|
| Groups | £3 per personNominal fee per head for schools and organised groups. |
Admission is free; donations fund the museum's work.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
The museum describes itself as fully accessible for wheelchair users. The Rock-a-Nore car park has 15 disabled spaces near the Yacht Club.
Kids & families
- Hands-on stations
Hands-on objects up to 5,000 years old are used with school groups, and the displays use sound, touch and smell.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Hastings station
Hastings station is 0.8 miles away, a 15 to 20 minute walk, or a 10 minute ride on Stagecoach bus 20 or 20A to the Stade. Direct trains to Hastings run twice an hour from Brighton and Ashford International and regularly from London Charing Cross.
By car
Paid parking
Rock-a-Nore car park is pay and display (450 spaces, rough unsurfaced ground, height limit 2.2 m, closed to access 22:00 to 07:00). Coins or debit card are accepted.
- Accessible parking
Walk or cycle along the seafront to Rock-a-Nore Road, where the black Net Huts stand. The museum is at the end of the road, facing the Hastings Aquarium.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Gift shop with maritime and fossil gifts, souvenirs, toys, cards, prints and handicrafts, many by local makers.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided walks to the wreck of the Amsterdam are offered on selected dates. Schools and groups can book by phone or form for a general visit or one tailored to their needs. |
