Welcome to Lowestoft Maritime Museum
The museum is now closed for our Winter maintenance programme. We will re-open on Friday 18th April 2025 to 1st November 2025.
Should you wish to contact the museum at any time please email admin@lowestoftmaritimemuseum.co.uk. All enquiries will be answered.
Close to the North Sea in Lowestoft’s lovely Sparrow’s Nest Gardens, Lowestoft Maritime Museum offers a fascinating few hours of enjoyment and discovery for all ages.
“What a wonderful record of Lowestoft’s Heritage.”
David Cleveland, Berkshire.
Volunteer Recruitment
Would you like to be part of our team? We are always looking for new volunteers to join our teams to welcome visitors and share the town’s history with our visitors, and help maintain the museum ‘behind the scenes’. Maritime knowledge is not essential as training will be available. Find out more here.
If you are interested, please contact us by email or telephone.
Events
Heritage Open Days 2024: 6th – 15th September
Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to visit us and explore our museum free of charge. We are pleased to celebrate the town’s significant maritime heritage, and during...
D Day Commemorations: 6 June 2024
From 3.30pm onwards Lowestoft will commemorate the above in Sparrow’s Nest Gardens in which the museum is situated. The museum will be closing later than usual. Please check our social media for more information nearer the time. Until Summer 2024 we will have...
History
Port of Lowestoft
Michael Page's photo above (see https://www.mike-page.co.uk/index.html) shows the port as it is today. In the foreground facing the rising sun, a recently developed area where large offshore structures are built. On the western side of this large dock, formerly the...
Early Charts
In 1681, Samuel Pepys, then Secretary of the Navy and Master of Trinity House, assigned Naval Officer Captain Greenville Collins to the task of carrying out a complete survey of the British Coastline. Collins was also a younger Brother of Trinity House suggesting that...
Marine art
Joe Crowfoot's large (1965mm x 1262mm ©1985) painting depicts Lowestoft Harbour as it must have looked at the end of the 19th century. Lit by the sun from the east it is clearly a morning scene and mist suggests the later months of the year. Many types of vessel are...
Echo sounders
Echo sounders with performance adequate for fishing were not available until the 1930s and their size, power requirements and cost limited use to larger vessels. The principle is simple enough, all work by transmitting a pulse of sound downward to the sea bed and...
Lighthouses
On the site of the present High Lighthouse there has been a beacon for mariners since 1676 when it was coal fired and burning night and day. Lowestoft Highlight was the first lighthouse erected by the Brotherhood of Trinity House. It lasted until 1676 when a brick and...
Contact us
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Contacting the museum
We welcome feedback and additional information about our collections.
Lowestoft Maritime Museum
Sparrows Nest Gardens
Whapload Road
Lowestoft,
NR32 1XG
You can contact the museum direct by calling 01502 561963
General enquiries
For all enquiries please email : admin@lowestoftmaritimemuseum.co.uk
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