Holyhead Maritime Museum facts for kids
Holyhead Maritime Museum and harbour
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| Established | 1984 |
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| Location | Newry Beach, Holyhead, North Wales |
| Type | Maritime museum |
| Public transit access | Holyhead  : 1 mile |
The Holyhead Maritime Museum (which in Welsh is Amgueddfa Forwrol Caergybi) is a cool place to visit in Holyhead, North Wales. It's a museum that tells the story of the sea and ships, also known as maritime history.
This museum is special because it's located in what people say is the oldest lifeboat station in Wales. This building was built around 1858, and it holds many interesting collections about the sea.
Contents
Discovering Holyhead's Sea History
The Holyhead Maritime Museum shares the amazing sea history of Holyhead and Anglesey. It covers everything from the very first boats to the big ferries that travel to Ireland today.
What You Can See
Inside the museum, you'll find a mix of old items, detailed models of ships, and interactive displays. These displays use different senses to help you learn. The people who work there are volunteers. They know a lot about the sea and the local area.
The museum is easy to get around, even if you use a wheelchair. It also has its own cafe called the Harbour Front Bistro. It's a great spot to relax and enjoy the view.
Holyhead at War Exhibition
Right next to the Maritime Museum, there's another interesting exhibit. It's called Holyhead at War. This special display is set up inside an old air raid shelter. It teaches visitors about what life was like during wartime in Holyhead.
The Museum's Journey
The building where the museum is now used to be a busy lifeboat station. It first opened in 1858. Lifeboats are special boats used to rescue people from the sea.
Early Lifeboat Rescues
The first lifeboat at this station didn't have a name. But it went out 18 times and saved 128 people! Later, a boat called the Prince of Wales took over. It launched 38 times and rescued another 128 people.
In 1875, a politician named Joshua Fielden and his brothers gave a new boat. They named it the Thomas Fielden after their father. Because of this new, bigger boat, the lifeboat station had to be made larger. In 1890, an even bigger boat arrived. This meant the building was extended again so that boats could be launched from a horse-drawn carriage.
How the Museum Began
People in Holyhead loved their local sea history. After some small exhibitions in 1982 and 1983, a group of people decided to create a proper museum. This group, called trustees, formed on September 24, 1984.
They first rented an old church building called St Elbods for nine years. The museum officially opened there in March 1986. The Duke of Westminster helped open it.
Moving to Its Current Home
When the lease on the church ended, the museum needed a new home. A company called Stena Line offered the museum a great deal. They let the museum use the renovated old Lifeboat house at Newry Beach for a very low rent.
The museum decided to make the building even better for visitors. They got funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. After getting a new 99-year lease, the museum reopened at its current location in 1998. It has been there ever since, welcoming visitors to learn about Holyhead's rich maritime past.
