Ramsgate Maritime Museum facts for kids
Ramsgate Maritime Museum
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| Location | Ramsgate, Kent, England |
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| Type | Maritime Museum |
| Public transit access | Ramsgate railway station |
The Ramsgate Maritime Museum is a cool place in Ramsgate, Kent, England. It's also sometimes called the Clock House Museum. This museum tells the amazing story of the sea history of East Kent. You can find it right on the quayside (the edge of the dock) of Ramsgate's Royal Harbour.
From 2012 to 2023, a group called the Steam Museum Trust, which is a special non-profit organization, ran the museum. After that, the local government, Thanet District Council, took back control. The museum closed in 2021 for a big update to the Clock House building. It is planned to open again in 2026 as a museum and a place for the town to celebrate its history.
Contents
The Clock House Building
The main building of the museum is called the Clock House. It was first built way back in 1817 by two people named Benjamen Wyatt and George Louch. Later, another person named John Rennie made some changes to it. This building is very important! It's officially known as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a special historic building that needs to be protected because of its unique design and history.
What You Can See at the Museum
Before the museum closed for its big renovation in 2021, it had lots of interesting things to see. There were four main areas, called galleries, that showed different parts of sea history.
One part of the museum showed how the harbour grew over time. It also taught visitors about navigation, which is how sailors figure out where they are going on the sea.
Fishing and Shipwrecks
Another section was all about fishing, which has been a big part of life in Ramsgate for a long time. You could also learn about lifeboats, which are brave boats that rescue people from the sea. And there were stories and items from many shipwrecks.
The Stirling Castle Cannon
In a special fifth area, you could see a huge 17th-century cannon. This cannon was a 32-pounder, which means it fired a cannonball weighing 32 pounds! It was found in the water from the wreck of a ship called HMS Stirling Castle.
Treasures from Goodwin Sands
Many of the cool items in the museum came from a famous place nearby called the Goodwin Sands. This area is known for having many shipwrecks because it's a tricky place for boats to sail.
Museum Ships: Cervia and Sundowner
Outside the museum, you can see two real ships that are part of the collection. These are called museum ships.
- The first is the Cervia. This is a steam tug boat built in 1946. Tugboats are powerful boats that help pull bigger ships in and out of harbours.
- The second ship is the Sundowner. This was a yacht built in 1912. It's famous for being one of the "Dunkirk little ships" that helped rescue soldiers during World War II.
More to Explore
- Port of Ramsgate
- Ramsgate Lifeboat Station
