Port, canal & Morecambe Bay history / LANCASTER

Lancaster Maritime Museum

See how the River Lune connected Lancaster with the wider world in the former Custom House and neighbouring warehouse. Displays explore coastal work, canal journeys and the dangers of the bay, alongside the port’s involvement in slavery. Looking at the quay afterwards helps put the buildings and their wealth in context.

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The former Custom House and neighbouring warehouses on St George’s Quay in Lancaster — Photo: Jhsteel

Before you go

The museum opens at noon on its four weekly opening days. Make it an afternoon stop after lunch, rather than arriving early and expecting another museum’s timetable.

The practical details

Where to find it: Custom House, St George’s Quay, Lancaster LA1 1RB
Directions and arrival information ↗
Tickets and booking: Normally open Friday–Monday, noon–4pm; closed Tuesday–Thursday. General nonlocal adult admission is paid, with free entry for LA1–LA6 residents, full-time students and accompanying carers of disabled visitors. Compare the council multipass for a second museum. The café counter offers drinks and snacks, so plan a separate meal if needed.
Access and getting around: A lift serves the main floors, but the small mezzanine is excluded. Above ground level, only one wheelchair user can visit each floor at once and must be able to transfer into an evacuation chair. Contact the museum about suitability. An accessible toilet and baby changing are on the ground floor.
Official access information ↗
Visiting with children: Under-18s enter free. The packet-boat and fishing stories offer a focused family visit; explain difficult history at a level suited to your children. A sensory backpack can be borrowed at reception, and a visual story is available online.

Practical information checked 15 September 2026. Confirm anything essential to your visit with the venue.

Make it part of your day

Allow 1–1½ hours for the visit, plus travel and breaks. This is a suggested planning allowance; opening times, access and availability may affect your plans.

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