The Rum Story
Museum in a Georgian merchant house and warehouses in Whitehaven telling the story of the rum trade, the Jefferson family and slavery.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Rum Story is housed in the original 1785 shop and warehouses of the Jefferson family, wine and spirit merchants who traded in Whitehaven for more than two centuries until 1998. The attraction was created with National Lottery funding from the Millennium Commission and opened in May 2000. It was named Cumbria Tourism's small visitor attraction of the year in 2007.
The displays run across three floors and follow the story from Whitehaven to West Africa and the Americas. They explain how the demand for sugar and rum affected millions of lives, and they cover the history of rum and enslavement. Rooms include Mr Jefferson's Georgian office, an Antiguan rainforest, a bonded warehouse and sections on pirates and smugglers, the Royal Navy and Prohibition-era jazz.
In 2025 the museum announced a project called Rum Story Re-Imagined, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, to update its exhibits so that they address Whitehaven's links to slavery more fully. The work is being carried out with the Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners and the group Anti-Racist Cumbria, together with historians.
Highlights
- Mr Jefferson's Georgian office
- Antiguan rainforest display
- Bonded warehouse and history of rum
- Sections on pirates, smugglers and the Royal Navy
- Jefferson's shop and Courtyard Cafe on the ground floor
Permanent exhibitions
- Mr Jefferson's office – A Georgian office that shows the working life of the Jefferson family's wine and spirit business.
- Antiguan rainforest – A display on the Antiguan setting of the sugar and rum trade.
- Bonded warehouse – The warehouse where rum and other spirits were stored.
- Founded
- 2000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £9.95 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £4.95 |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers can use a free carer ticket with valid proof of carer status; it is not valid for carers visiting independently. |
| Families | £25.95Two adults and two children |
Adult ticket holders receive a £5 voucher towards a 70cl bottle of Jefferson's Rum. Booking is not required. Occasional special offers are announced on the website.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The attraction is wheelchair and mobility scooter friendly. A lift serves all floors of the main exhibition, while the boardroom, education suite and mezzanine gallery need a few steps after leaving the lift. The information and ticket desk is in the courtyard on the ground floor. Seating is available throughout. Wheelchair-accessible toilets are on the ground floor and in The Vault event space. Guide, hearing and assistance dogs are welcome. Disabled visitors can park directly outside free of charge. An AccessAble guide is available.
Kids & families
| Family ticket | £25.95 · Two adults and two children |
|---|
- Baby changing facilities
The museum has three floors of interactive experiences about the rum trade, and a family ticket is available.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus X5 runs from Keswick, Cockermouth and Workington, and bus 30 runs from Workington, High Harrington and Distington. Timetables are on the Stagecoach journey planner.
By car
Paid parking · 4-min walk to the entrance
Pay-and-display car parks nearby are Quay Street (about 4 minutes on foot), Tangier Street (about 4 minutes) and Queen's Dock (about 6 minutes). Disabled visitors can park directly outside the museum free of charge.
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
The Courtyard Cafe and Jefferson's Shop are both on the ground floor. A baby changing unit is in the ground-floor accessible toilet.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
Events and private parties, meetings and away days, weddings and filming are offered. The Vault event space and an education suite for up to 60 people are available.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Group visits include guides who give a sensitive account of the Jefferson family, Whitehaven, rum and enslavement. School groups can have costumed guides and use the education suite, and private and bespoke tours can be arranged. |
