Lancaster Maritime Museum

Opened in 1985, the museum occupies the former Custom House, designed in 1764, and incorporates part of a neighbouring warehouse that once bustled with international trade.

Maritime history

Enter the world of Lancaster's merchants, shipbuilders and sailors, and learn about Morecambe Bay's fishing tradition, busy tourist trade and the perils of crossing the sands. Further displays explore the ecology and natural history of the area.

Immersive experience

Climb aboard a full-size replica of a Lancaster Canal packet boat and be transported back to the bustling days of the canal's glory days. Listen to recordings of local fisherfolk recounting their experiences at sea, and get a glimpse of what life was like on a North Sea gas platform or experience the precarious journey across the treacherous sands of Morecambe Bay.

Uncovering a darker side

The museum doesn't shy away from Lancaster's more complex maritime history. One exhibit sheds light on the city's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. The port of Lancaster was, at one time, the fourth most prolific port involved in the transportation and trade of enslaved Africans. Lancaster was the first city to dedicate a memorial to each of those African people who lost their liberty, and all too often their lives, due to the slave trade. The sculpture Captured Africans by Kevin Dalton-Johnson is just a short walk from the museum, beside the River Lune.

Want to know more about Lancaster’s history? Lancaster City Museum is just a 10 minute walk away form Lancaster Maritime Museum.