Discover the story of Lancaster and Morecambe’s relationship with the ocean, the challenging lives of those living and working in the places between land and sea, and how our inland waterways have shaped our lives, work, and leisure. We uncover the dark legacy that the transatlantic slave trade has left in this proud, historic city and show how the Quay where the museum stands was once a bustling place of trade and commerce from all over the world.

Lancaster Maritime Museum occupies two historic buildings on St. George’s Quay, the heart of the city’s 18th-century harbour. The museum was opened in 1985 in the former Custom House, designed in 1764 by Richard Gillow. It also incorporates the upper floor of the neighbouring warehouse, where goods were stored after being shipped into the port from all over the world.    

Explore these atmospheric and fascinating buildings and discover the history of the Port of Lancaster. Experience the treacherous crossing of the sands, sit in a packet boat on the Lancaster Canal, listen to local fisherfolk speak of life on and around Morecambe Bay, or discover something new in our programme of changing exhibitions. 

Our displays delve into Lancaster’s darker side too, revealing the stories of the 18th century merchant families who built the city’s wealth from the trade in enslaved Africans and slave-produced goods. This aspect of Lancaster's history is of special relevance to our museum, which is housed in the very buildings that formed the heart of the port in that era. You can find more on this topic here: Lancaster and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

From our ever-changing exhibitions to talks, tours, kids' craft sessions and more, you can find details of events and activities at all our museums here: 

• What's On

Or join our mailing list for regular updates. Email historydetectives@lancaster.gov.uk to sign up.

Extra Opening - Summer Holidays

This summer the Maritime Museum will be open every Tuesday for 6 weeks, in addition to our usual opening hours! Drop in for a visit, pick up a FREE children's trail, or get creative with our Beside the Seaside Craft Activities.

Tuesday 21 July  -  10:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 28 July  -  10:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 4 August  -  10:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 11 August  -  10:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 18 August  -  10:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 25 August  -  10:30am - 4pm

Usual Opening Hours

The Maritime Museum is OPEN as usual for all spring & summer Bank Holidays. 

• Please check the web pages for our other museums to see their opening days and times, as each museum is different.
• Dogs:  Only assistance dogs are permitted in the museum. This is because even well-behaved dogs are curious, and they sometimes need the loo. We can’t risk it for the sake of our fragile museum objects, which might get knocked over by a very waggy tail, and other visitors who may be nervous around dogs.

Standard Tickets (Single Visit)

Multipass Tickets

Our weekly and annual passes are ideal for holidays or for regular visitors to the district, providing unlimited entry to all three of our museums:

• Lancaster Maritime Museum
• Lancaster City Museum (including the King’s Own Regimental gallery)
• The Cottage Museum (open Saturdays only, April-September)

The Maritime gift shop has an ever-changing range of goods focused on quaility and sustainability. We've got gorgeous gifts made by local craftspeople and artists, books on local and nautical history, and much more!

Tea and coffee, cold drinks and snacks are available from the self-service counter in the shop. Relax in the nautical-themed galley seating area, choose a picnic table outside in the dog-friendly boatyard, or simply grab and go with our handy takeaway options - the choice is yours!   

After your visit please consider taking ten minutes to share your thoughts with us here. We're planning improvements, and your feedback will help us to make the museums better places for everyone.

Click here to take the survey.