Hull Maritime Museum

Is it right for my child?

• Big skeletons: the three-storey Welcome Atrium has a bottlenose whale skeleton and a giant blubber pot. The Age of Sail gallery centres on a 40-foot North Atlantic right whale skeleton.
• Things to do: there are hands-on interactives. In Under the Sea, marine life swims beneath your feet, and a giant interactive globe shows routes that linked Hull to ports worldwide.
• Upstairs: the Hidden Treasures attic holds Arctic wildlife and scrimshaw, with a mermaid to spot. In Finding Your Way, you can try steering a ship safely home.
• Family extras: the Family Discovery Trail is described as suitable for families with children of all ages. Maritime Explorer Backpacks are free to borrow during your visit, subject to availability.
• Serious themes: galleries cover whaling, life on Hull’s trawlers and the Merchant Navy in wartime.
• Sensory notes: the visual story expects it to be quite noisy between 10am and 2pm at busy periods. It also mentions audio posts and some narrow doorways and walkways.

Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist

• Book a free timed ticket and arrive on time. The booking page says late visitors, or those without a ticket, may not be let in.
• Expect a wait without a ticket. Walk-up visitors may wait longer at peak times, and the visual story says you might not get in when it is really busy.
• Budget for extras: the planetarium show needs a separate ticket. The venue page says paid activities are sold at the museum on the day.
• Download the visual story, quick access guide and floor plan from the access page.
• Groups of 10 or more must book through the self-directed visits page.

Prices and tickets

Admission is free for everyone, so carers are welcome to join the people they support.

• Timed tickets: on 13 November 2026, the free booking calendar showed half-hourly slots up to 23 December. It showed none from 23 to 27 November, and the official pages we saved give no reason.
• Planetarium show: the families page lists Finding Your Way: Navigation at Sea, an 8-minute planetarium experience with audio description. It costs £2 for adults and £1.50 for under 16s.
• Buying extras: the venue page says paid activities cannot currently be booked in advance and are sold during your visit, subject to availability. The visual story also mentions buying show tickets on the website.
• Open Store tour: the top things page says tickets for this behind-the-scenes tour are sold onsite only. It gives no price.

Pushchairs, babies and toilets

• Getting in: there is a ramp on the right-hand side of the entrance, with steps in the middle up to the door.
• Floors: there is level access to the ground floor and a lift to the basement, first and second floors. The ground floor plan’s map key lists a buggy park.
• Spiral stairs: the visual story says a spiral staircase on the second floor leads up to a turret room. The official pages do not mention a lift to it.
• Baby changing: the access page lists it on the ground, first and second floors. On the ground and first floors it is in the accessible toilet.
• Toilets: the access page lists toilets in the basement and on the first and second floors, and accessible toilets on the ground and first floors.

Food and drink

There is a café on the ground floor, open 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday and 11.15am to 3.30pm on Sunday. The September 2026 menu lists a Captain’s lunch bag for £5.95: a ham or cheese sandwich, fruit, crisps, a Dairy Milk and a drink.

The visual story warns the café can be busy at lunchtime. The official pages we saved do not mention a picnic area.

Getting there and parking

The address is Hull Maritime Museum, Queen Victoria Square, Hull HU1 3DX, opposite the Ferens Art Gallery.

• Train and bus station: the plan your visit page says Paragon Interchange is a 6-minute walk. The quick access guide says a 9-minute walk.
• Buses: the plan your visit page names Alfred Gelder Street as the nearest stop. The quick access guide lists Monument Bridge and Carr Lane, 85m away.
• Parking: the plan your visit page mentions Lowgate Car Park, Saville Street and Paragon Street. The access guides name Princes Quay as the nearest multi-storey. No prices are given.
• Blue Badge: there are nine disabled parking spaces on Paragon Street, behind City Hall.
• Roads: the access page says the part of Carr Lane past the museum is for buses, taxis and bikes only, so keep children close.

When to visit

Hours are Monday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm. The museum opens on bank holidays except Good Friday. It is closed 24 to 28 December inclusive and on 1 January.

The group visits page gives last entry as 4pm Monday to Saturday and 3.30pm on Sunday.

Additional needs and disability support

Hull Museums publishes access resources for the museum, and you can email info@hcandl.co.uk before visiting.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hull Maritime Museum free?

Yes, entry is free for everyone. The planetarium show is extra, at £2 for adults and £1.50 for under 16s.

Do you need to book Hull Maritime Museum?

The venue page advises booking a free ticket, and walk-up entry is available daily. The visual story warns you might not get in when it is really busy, so booking is safer.

Is Hull Maritime Museum good for toddlers?

The official pages give no minimum age, and the family trail is described as suitable for all ages. There is a lift, and the access page lists baby changing on three floors.

Can you take a pushchair to Hull Maritime Museum?

The official pages set out no pushchair policy. They list a ramp at the entrance, level access to the ground floor and a lift to the basement, first and second floors.

Is Hull Maritime Museum good for autistic children?

It offers a visual story, borrowable ear defenders and fidget toys, and a quick access guide. It can be noisy between 10am and 2pm at busy periods.

Is Hull Maritime Museum open at Christmas?

It is closed from 24 to 28 December inclusive and on 1 January. On 13 November 2026, the booking calendar showed time slots up to 23 December, so check before you travel.

Checked on 13 November 2026 against the official Hull Museums pages for Hull Maritime Museum, plan your visit, access, families and under 5s, what to see, top things, café and booking, plus the museum’s visual story, quick access guide and floor plan. Prices and times can change, so check before you travel.