Captain Cook Museum Whitby

The Captain Cook Museum occupies a Grade I listed 17th-century building on Grape Lane, featuring original furnishings, navigation instruments, charts, letters, and artwork documenting Cook's Pacific voyages and maritime exploration achievements.

James Cook served his apprenticeship under Captain John Walker in this very building from 1746, learning navigation and seamanship skills that would later enable his famous Pacific expeditions and contributions to global mapping.

The museum preserves artifacts from Cook's voyages including Tahitian and New Zealand items, paintings by William Hodges and John Webber, and scientific instruments that demonstrate 18th-century maritime exploration and cross-cultural encounters.

Open daily from 09:45 to 17:00 with adult admission at £11.00 and free entry for children under 16, the museum offers educational programs, group visits, and a gift shop for maritime history enthusiasts.

Archaeological excavations in 2001 revealed foundations of outbuildings, a brick floor, and a slipway leading to the river, providing tangible evidence of the Walker family's shipping enterprise and Cook's formative years.

Location: Whitby

Inception: 1986

Address: Grape Lane, Whitby YO22 4BA YO22 4BA

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 09:45-17:00

Website: http://cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk

GPS coordinates: 54.48676,-0.61180

Latest update: July 23, 2025 15:18