6th August 2026
Opening weekend fully booked as one of Britain's oldest maritime museums prepares to reopen with immersive galleries, a new planetarium and internationally significant collections.
More than 8,000 visitors have already booked free tickets for the opening month of Hull Maritime Museum with all advance timed-entry slots for the first weekend booked up ahead of the reopening on Saturday 8 August. A limited number of walk-up visitors will still be able to enter the museum each day, subject to capacity.
New photography released today reveals the completed transformation of one of Britain's oldest maritime museums following a six-year, £20.4m redevelopment that has restored Hull's Grade II* former Dock Offices while creating an entirely reimagined visitor experience.
At the heart of the wider £70m Hull Maritime programme, the transformation doubles the museum's public space and displays around 1,300 objects, bringing Hull's internationally important maritime collections to life through immersive interpretation, major new displays and interactive experiences designed for visitors of all ages.
Visitors journey through more than 800 years of maritime history, exploring the stories of trade, migration, fishing, whaling, Arctic exploration and the communities whose lives have been shaped by the sea. Alongside restored historic interiors, contemporary galleries reveal how Hull became one of Britain's great maritime cities and why the Humber remains the UK's busiest port complex today.
Highlights include the 40ft skeleton of a North Atlantic right whale, internationally significant scrimshaw collections, objects from Shackleton's Endurance expedition, Erik the polar bear and the Sirius figurehead from the first steamship to cross the Atlantic under steam power.
Throughout the museum, hands-on experiences bring the collections to life. Visitors can crawl beneath the whale skeleton, lift the weight of a traditional harpoon, navigate using a compass, operate a steam engine model and explore tactile exhibits designed to make the collections accessible to visitors of all ages and abilities.
A new feature of the museum is the planetarium, where visitors can discover how generations of sailors navigated using the stars long before satellite technology. The immersive 10-minute experience recreates the night sky above Hull and the northern hemisphere, revealing the constellations that guided ships across the world's oceans.
Hull Maritime Museum is housed within the city's spectacular former Town Dock Offices, first opened in 1871 when ships sailed directly past the building. Closed since January 2020, the landmark building has undergone the most significant transformation in its history, carefully restored by Purcell and Simpson of York to reveal historic spaces while creating contemporary galleries, improved accessibility and environmentally sustainable museum facilities.
Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: "It's fantastic to see so many people wanting to visit Hull Maritime Museum, with tickets for the opening weekend snapped up ahead of the opening. This museum has been cherished by generations of residents and visitors, and the transformation has created something truly special that honours its remarkable heritage while bringing it firmly into the future.
“This is another example of why 2026 is a landmark year for the city.
"Hull's maritime story is at the heart of our city's identity, and we're incredibly proud to be reopening one of Britain's finest maritime museums following this £20.4 million investment. We look forward to welcoming visitors through the doors and seeing their reactions first-hand as they experience the museum's stunning new galleries, collections and interactive experiences."
Gillian Osgerby, Hull City Council’s Project Director of Hull Maritime, said: "The response ahead of opening has been incredible and reflects the affection people have for Hull Maritime Museum. For many families, this building holds cherished memories, so it's wonderful to see so much excitement about its return.
"Over the past six years, we've worked hard to transform the museum into a world-class visitor experience while preserving everything that makes it so special. We can't wait to welcome people back inside and see their reactions first-hand as they rediscover familiar treasures, explore new galleries and experience Hull's extraordinary maritime stories in a completely new way."
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "It's incredibly exciting to see that Hull Maritime Museum will reopen this summer and is ready to welcome visitors from near and far to share and celebrate the city's rich and fascinating maritime heritage. Not only will visitors be captivated by the significant collections of the museum, comprising of around 1,300 artefacts, they will be able to take in the striking beauty of the Grade II* listed building and its stunning architecture, which has been preserved as part of the project.
"We're incredibly proud that thanks to National Lottery players, the Heritage Fund is able to support place-based investment boosting pride in place and connecting communities and visitors with this vital heritage. We have invested over £55.7m in over 150 projects in Hull, all of which, including the museum, are contributing to the city’s ongoing, heritage-led, cultural renaissance. It's a milestone that provides another gateway to all of the wonderful things that Hull has to offer."
The reopening of Hull Maritime Museum marks another major milestone for Hull Maritime, the city's ambitious heritage regeneration programme. Alongside the restored Spurn Lightship, the transformation of Queen's Gardens, new maritime collections facilities and the future reopening of the Arctic Corsair, the programme is reconnecting Hull with the maritime heritage that shaped the city for more than eight centuries.
