Arklow Maritime Museum, Maritime museum in Arklow, Ireland.
The Arklow Maritime Museum is a maritime museum in this coastal town that displays over two thousand objects related to seafaring history in the region. The collection features ship models, navigation instruments, and historical photographs that document life and work at sea.
The museum was founded in 1976 when community members began collecting maritime artifacts that were at risk of being lost in the region. It grew from a local desire to preserve the history of seafaring and fishing for future generations.
The collection includes personal belongings from local fishermen involved in rescue operations at sea. These items reflect how deeply the town's identity has been tied to maritime life across generations.
The museum sits inside the Bridgewater Shopping Centre, so it is reached on foot through the shopping complex rather than from a street entrance. The collection moved there in 2009 from the old technical school on Saint Marys Road. Allow time to work through the ship models and the Kynoch factory display on the upper floor.
The collection includes a detailed model of the Asgard II, a training vessel built in Arklow that later sank in the Bay of Biscay. This model commemorates a significant local ship and its tragic end at sea.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,643 contributors worldwide.