As well as our permanent displays, we have a packed schedule of changing exhibitions at both the Maritime Museum and the City Museum.

Read on to find out what you'll be able to discover on your next visit - or if you've seen it all already, skip ahead to our Future Exhibitions, or explore more online with our immersive Virtual Exhibitions! 

Insus Unearthed: A Journey Through Roman Lancaster

17 May - 10 November 2025

Our summer exhibition looks at how the Romans lived, worked and built the fort in our city.

This exhibition is on the ground floor of the museum, which is fully accessible via a ramp to the right of the main entrance. Please note that the exhibition includes a life-size replica of the Insus tombstone, but the real tombstone is displayed in our permanent gallery on the upper floor, which is currently only accessible via the stairs. We plan to have a new stairlift installed in June. 

For the first time, we're also running guided tours alongside this exhibition. There are only a few, so advance booking is recommended to guarantee your place! Find out more here: Story Tours.

100 Years, 100 Objects: Stories from the Collection of Lancaster City Museums

Ongoing

2023 marked the 100th anniversary of our museums. As part of our centenary celebrations we created a series of podcasts about objects in our collection. These objects are now on display at the City Museum. They were selected by members of our museum team, academics, and members of community groups, who chose their favourites from our collection of over 50,000 items. 

Please note that this exhibition is on the upper floor of the building. Our stairlift is currently out of order, so this is only accessible to those able to climb two flights of stairs. We're very sorry for any disappointment this may cause. We hope you will still enjoy listening to the podcast - you can find it through our Podcast page.

Our Future Coast

15 March - 6 July 2025

‘What does Morecambe Bay mean to me?’ 

Our Future Coast is a DEFRA-funded project to improve the natural flood defences and coastal resilience of our local area: working with nature to safeguard coastal communities. 

This open art exhibition at the Maritime Museum was created in partnership with the OFC team and other local groups and individuals to create responses to the question ‘What does Morecambe Bay mean to me?’ 

• Find out more about the project here: Our Future Coast.

Hoard of Hoards: Hidden | Lost | Stolen | Offered | Collected

Ongoing

This immersive exhibition literally uncovers the hoards that we have in the collection. From pre-history through to the Tudor period people have always stashed away their valuables for one reason or another. We take a look at each one and ask what was happening in Britain at the time and why the owners felt the need to hide theirs.

The Insus exhibition at the City Museum will be followed by an exhibit on Cecil Thomas, as well as a Lancaster & District Arts Society Open Exhibition. A mini-exhibition in the upstairs corridor of the City Museum is also on the cards for September, looking at the objects in the collection connected to the Ruxton murders. That month will mark 90 years since Buck Ruxton brutally murdered his wife Isabella (Belle) and their housemaid/nanny Mary. The exhibition (as the title suggests), will look more at the two victims, rather than Ruxton himself.

Meanwhile at the Maritime Museum, we'll have a long-running version of the In the Spotlight exhibition starting in July, highlighting the untold stories of Black performers in Morecambe from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries. Drawing on archival material and personal stories, the exhibition will aim to celebrate the lives of individuals who performed in Morecambe, bringing their stories to light, to enrich the narrative of Morecambe's entertainment history and foster dialogue about representation and inclusion. It's a celebration of creativity and resilience, inspiring new connections between past and present. The exhibition will be accompanied by a publication with more details on the people featured.

Our exhibitions change evey few months, so check back here for updates or follow us on Facebook or Instagram for all the latest announcements.