Welcome to Lowestoft Maritime Museum

2018 is not only the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Lowestoft & East Suffolk Maritime Society but also the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Lowestoft Maritime Museum.

Just a reminder that the museum is now CLOSED for the winter so we hope we will see you on Saturday 6th April 2019 when we reopen for the 2019 season.

Our recruitment day held on the 20th March was very successful with several people expressing an interest in helping at the museum. We are now starting to get the museum ready for opening on the 6th of April.

Nestling beside 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.

Events

Pearls from the Grit

In the early 1900s Lowestoft’s fishing village – known as The Grit – was home to 2,300 people, schools, churches, shops and 13 pubs. What made it such a special community and why did it disappear? Meet no-nonsense fisherman, Ned; Billy, a larger-than-life skipper...

Heritage Open Day 2018

The Museum will be open with free entry on the 16th 2018 September as part of the 2018 Lowestoft Heritage Open days. Normal opening times apply.

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History

Port of Lowestoft

Michael Page's photo above (see www.norfolkskyview.flyer.co.uk) 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 Trawl...

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

Echosounders 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...