Dock Museum facts for kids
The Dock Museum seen facing southwards towards Devonshire Dock Hall
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| Established | 1907 (as Furness Museum) |
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| Location | North Road, Barrow-in-Furness, England, United Kingdom |
| Collection size | 2,100 objects |
| Visitors | 52,000 (2015) |
The Dock Museum is a cool place to visit in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. It tells the story of the town, focusing on its amazing past. You can learn about how Barrow became famous for shipbuilding at places like BAE Systems. You'll also discover its huge steelworks industry, which was once the biggest in the world! The museum also covers the Furness Railway and how the town was affected by the World War II bombings.
Barrow has had a museum since 1907. The Dock Museum opened in its current spot in 1994. In its first year, 50,000 people came to visit! It's free to enter and is owned by the public.
Contents
Discover the Museum's Collections
When you first step inside the museum, the ground floor galleries show you how Barrow grew super fast. They also explain how the town was impacted by World War II. The biggest part of the museum is actually inside an old dry dock. This is a special area where ships used to be built or repaired.
Inside the dry dock, you'll find three floors packed with cool stuff. There are models of ships and submarines that were built right here in Barrow. You can also see other interesting exhibits. The museum used to have a huge collection of 10,000 old photos from the shipyard, called the Vickers Photographic Archive.
The museum often has new, temporary exhibitions, so there's always something different to see. On the very bottom floor, you can watch a film about Barrow's past and present. You'll also find two historic boats that were built locally. The museum gets its name from the dry dock it's built in, which opened way back in 1872! This old dock is one of the museum's main attractions.
While it has many sea-related items, the Dock Museum isn't just about ships. It has a strong collection of very old objects from before history was written down. You can also see natural history items, old household furnishings, toys, and more! Plus, the museum is currently holding the Furness Hoard. This is a collection of amazing Viking treasures found in 2011. The museum hopes to keep them permanently.
Historic Boats at the Museum
The Dock Museum is home to four small, preserved boats. One is a yacht called White Rose, built in the late 1800s. There's also Banshee, a type of fishing boat called a Whammel. Another is the Nance, a traditional Morecambe Bay prawner from 1914. The museum's largest boat is the Watson-class RNLB Herbert Leigh (ON 900). You can see it outside, next to North Road.
Location and Visitor Information
The Dock Museum is located in Barrow-in-Furness, right next to the Walney Channel. The museum building has a unique shape. You can easily spot it from the nearby A590 road and Hindpool Road. The museum's original large car park was turned into a hotel and restaurant in 2014. Now, you can find parking south of the museum, right next to the outdoor play area.
Inside the museum, you'll find the 'Bridge Coffee Shop' where you can grab a snack. There's also a gift shop to find souvenirs. Kids will love the maritime-themed adventure playground outside! The museum has toilets and is fully accessible for everyone. You can also access the 'Channelside Walk' from here. This path leads up to the town's old slag banks, which are piles of waste from the steel industry. From there, you get great views of Barrow, Walney Island, the Lake District, and even the Isle of Man on a clear day!
Working with BAE Systems
The lower floor of the museum and 'The Studio' area are now used by the HR (Human Resources) department of BAE Systems. This partnership helps new employees of BAE Systems learn about Barrow and get a good first impression of the town. Even with these changes, The Dock Museum still offers workshops, events, and tours for visitors.
