Maritime Heritage Guide

Chatham Historic Dockyard in Kent is a maritime heritage site with historic warships, Victorian ropery, and naval exhibits. Once a key Royal Navy dockyard, it now tells 400 years of shipbuilding history in an immersive setting.

carefully crafted sets and original preserved trawler interiors capture the atmosphere and essence of a remarkable way of life

Aberdeen Maritime Museum tells the story of the city’s rich seafaring heritage, from shipbuilding and fishing to North Sea oil and gas. Set on the historic harbour, it features interactive displays, impressive models and free admission.

Buckler’s Hard, on the Beaulieu River in the New Forest, is a historic shipbuilding village where Royal Navy vessels were built in the 18th century. Today it offers a museum, riverside walks, and insight into maritime heritage.

Set in a 200-year-old warehouse, the Museum of London Docklands traces the city’s maritime past. Explore galleries on trade, slavery, and the Thames, plus a recreated Victorian street. Family-friendly with free entry, it’s a hidden gem by Canary Wharf.

The Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine showcases Scotland’s rich shipbuilding and seafaring heritage. With restored vessels, engines and hands-on exhibits, it celebrates the nation’s maritime innovation and history.

first lighthouse to be powered by electricity with a real flavour of a working lighthouse, surrounded by wildflower meadows and great wildlife viewing

set across several buildings with displays explaining about the lighthouse, foghorn and radar station that once operated here, as well as marine and bird life

an eclectic collection covering the maritime and natural history of the area, including the sunk German fleet from WWll

exciting and ambitious exhibitions depicting the story of the town’s links with the sea and River Colne, including its unique role as a Limb of the Cinque Ports, the only one north of the Thames