Hull Maritime Museum to reopen after major £20.4m transformation

Hull Maritime Museum is set to reopen on Saturday 8th August 2026 following a significant transformation valued at £20.4 million.

Positioned in Hull’s historic city centre, the museum has been revamped to double its public space and will feature 50% more items from its collection. Visitors can expect to see around 1,300 objects across immersive galleries and open storage spaces, many of which will be displayed publicly for the first time.

Highlights from the Collection

Among the notable items are rare examples of scrimshaw—intricate folk art created by whalers—believed to be part of the largest scrimshaw collection outside the United States. The collection includes artefacts from the early 19th century to the 20th century, showcasing the history of whaling over two centuries.

Special objects include a newly acquired scrimshaw tooth linked to the Hull whaling ship Truelove, which undertook 72 Arctic voyages over a century. Other standout pieces are a sperm whale tooth by Edward Burdett and famous engraved whale teeth by Frederick Myrick. Visitors can also see surreal hand-painted whale earbones and a dramatic plaque depicting a bowhead whale hunt flanked by icebergs.

Other Treasures on Display

Additionally, the museum will feature the skeleton of a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, items from Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition, and a wooden canoe unearthed during Hull Guildhall's construction in 1908.

Visitors can also discover the wooden dog figurehead from the Sirius, the pioneering steamship that completed a transatlantic crossing under steam power in 1838.

Community Outreach and Support

A newly designed exhibition space will allow for community engagement, celebrating the region's maritime heritage through local stories and content. This space adheres to national museum standards and will enable Hull Maritime Museum to host major touring exhibitions.

The museum's transformation has been supported by various funding sources, including Hull City Council who contributed £11.8 million, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund which provided £7.7 million.

Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, stated that the museum "will be the centrepiece of a new maritime experience," enhancing Hull's cultural regeneration vision.

Robin Diaper, Curator of Social and Maritime History, highlighted that "The new museum allows us to tell Hull’s maritime story in a richer and more ambitious way than ever before."

Supported by the Heritage Fund, the project's aim is to bolster pride in place and connect communities through Hull’s maritime heritage.

Hull Maritime Museum resides within the historic former Town Dock Offices in Queen Victoria Square. Originally opened in 1871, the building has been meticulously restored to a blend of historic architectural grandeur and contemporary exhibition spaces.