Maritime Museum
New North Quay, St Helier, Jersey, JE2 3ND, Channel Islands
Rating: 4.5 ★ (703 ratings)
Details
The Maritime Museum in St Helier, Jersey, brings the island's rich seafaring history to life. Housed in a set of five 19th-century warehouses on the New North Quay, the museum opened in 1997. It offers an interactive experience where visitors can explore Jersey's maritime environment, navigation, and the stories of its people. Exhibits cover the island's fishing and shipbuilding industries, mercantile operations, and even piracy, featuring artefacts recovered from 17th-century shipwrecks.
Beyond seafaring, the museum also houses the Occupation Tapestry. This significant community project consists of 12 panels created by islanders to depict life during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945. The museum's interactive displays allow visitors to learn about shipbuilding, listen to sea shanties, and even control a model tide.
Location
Opening Hours
Daily 10:00-17:00 (March-October), Daily 10:00-16:00 (November-February). Refer to website for specific winter closure dates.
Contact
Tel: +44 1534 811043; Email: [email protected]
Comments
Don't miss the tapestries, they are just incredible!
The lady on the ticket desk was very friendly, and explained the best way to walk around the museum. She was very happy to answer any questions that may have cropped up during our visit.
I was very surprised as to how few people were visiting the museum. However, the weather was lovely outside, so perhaps people were making the most of a beautiful sunny afternoon in March, instead of visiting indoor museums.
Very well put together displays in both sections of the museum. Well worth a visit.
It starts with the Elements, offering interactive stations to explore the tides, wind etc (don't forget to walk upstairs to the little landing and see the birds and the winking puffin!). Moving on, there are sections on shipbuilding, maritime art, the Diana (a small preserved ship with a big history!), lifeboatmen and most other things you can think of! The Occupation Tapestry is at the end and offers a glimpse of life under Nazi rule during WW2 looking at the different struggles and history of the era.
I think it's a good museum and it's perfect for a group visiting with diverse interests and there is a lot of interaction with buttons to push for younger visitors. If you have a real specific interest, it may leave you wanting more. Without the heritage pass, it's on the more expensive side for an adult ticket at £14.95.
One thing I would say, if you're visiting in the colder months, it does get chilly in the galleries (old building, high ceilings!).