Holyhead Maritime Museum

The Holyhead Maritime Museum (Welsh: Amgueddfa Forwrol Caergybi) is a maritime museum located in Holyhead, North Wales.

Holyhead Maritime Museum
Holyhead Maritime Museum and harbour
Established1984
LocationNewry Beach, Holyhead, North Wales
Coordinates53.317°N 4.636°W / 53.317; -4.636
TypeMaritime museum
Public transit accessHolyhead : 1 mile
WebsiteOfficial website

Housed in what is claimed to be the oldest Lifeboat station in Wales (built c. 1858),[1] it houses a number of collections.

History

The lifeboat station opened in 1858 and the first lifeboat was unnamed, launching 18 times, saving 128 persons. Replaced by the Prince of Wales, she launched 38 times and rescued 128 persons. In 1875, Member of Parliament Joshua Fielden and his brothers donated the Thomas Fielden, named after their father, which necessitated extending the house. In 1890, a second large boat was obtained, for which the house was extended to enable beach based landing from a horse-drawn carriage.[2]

After local maritime exhibitions were held in 1982 and 1983 elsewhere, a trustees group was formed on 24 September 1984. The trustees obtained a nine-year lease on the redundant St Elbods church from the Church in Wales, with the museum opened officially by the Duke of Westminster in March 1986.[2]

On expiration of the lease, and after failing to agree a lease within a new development, Stena Line offered the museum a peppercorn rent on the renovated Lifeboat house at Newry Beach. Deciding to improve the building through the construction of new visitor facilities, after a successful bid for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and a renegotiation of the lease to 99 years, the museum reopened on its current site in 1998.[2]

Exhibitions

The museum today tells the maritime history of Holyhead and Anglesey, from earliest days to the modern ferries to Ireland. It features an interactive combination of historical artifacts, models and sensory exhibitions. All of its part-time volunteers have extensive maritime and local knowledge.[3] Accessible to wheelchairs, the museum has its own cafe, the Harbour Front Bistro.[4]

The Holyhead at War exhibition is located in an air raid shelter located alongside the Maritime Museum.

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References
  1. "Holyhead Maritime Museum". National Library of Wales. Archived from the original on 26 July 2004. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  2. "Holyhead Maritime Museum". holyhead.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  3. "The Maritime History of Holyhead and Anglesey, North Wales". anglesey.info. Archived from the original on 26 October 2005. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  4. "Holyhead Maritime Museum". Attractions North Wales. Retrieved 28 May 2010.


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