Captain Cook Memorial Museum — Attraction in Whitby

Very poor and disappointing experience. 9 October 2021

The Museum itself worth a visit if you wish to learn a bit more about Capitan Cook and the maritime story of the town and the Country in general. Unfortunately we couldn't enjoy properly our visit because we have been "invited" to get out of the building half an hour before the official closing time shown on the web site and on the museum sign.

To make sure we could enjoy accurately our visit we went there in the morning asking about how long would have taken a visit and how big the museum was. The lady at the desk suggest that the visit could have taken about an hour and confirmed that the museum was closing at 5.pm. So we went back in the afternoon at 3.45. The lady at the desk was not the same of the morning. When we purchased our tickets she said that we had only an hour as the museum was closing at 4.45, which is 15 minutes earlier than the indicated closing time. Anyway we started our visit. We had to ask where to go and some basic instruction before to start as the lady at the desk was more interested in ordering her take away dinner by phone for later on. We visited the first and the second floor and we approached the 3rd floor at 4.24 and it was SURPRISINGLY ALREADY CLOSED! The lady, the same at the entrance, was already closing most part of the exhibition. When she saw us, she said: "I thought you were already seen this part and, do you know, we closing in a bit". When I replied that was just 24 past 4 she said: "ok maybe you can go to visit the 4th floor and I will open this again for you". So we visited a bit in a rush the last floor and then we came back to the third floor to make sure we can read properly the panels. While we were doing so, the lady appeared again and she said: " if you are still around tomorrow morning I can get you in with a free ticket and you can stay longer". So basically we have been put out of the door at 4.34, almost half an hour before the closing time, and even before 4.45, the time that we have been told the museum was actually closing. We won't be able to go back the following day, because we had other plans, and anyway we wouldn't have gone back because we have been treated in very rude way. It worth to say that this is not a free entrance museum, but we paid 14pound (two tickets) to get in and to read the panels and watch the exhibition. If you don't allow the people to do so, you are taking out people money unfairly. I do hope that the staff met today is not all like the lady that we met and anyway I hope they are volunteers and not paid staff, because if they are payed I would seriously suggest to the direction of the museum to substitute them with some more professional and enthusiastic one and get rid of people that just wish to run away, putting...

An excellent little museum hidden away in a narrow street in the old part of Whitby (turn right after crossing the Swing Bridge). It's in the very house, overlooking the harbour, where Captain Cook lived as an apprentice seaman in the 18th century. I visited while on holiday in North Yorkshire. The lady at the reception desk was not only welcoming, she was also very helpful and told me all I needed to know about the museum's layout and what there was to see. Adult admission is £9 (tickets are valid for a year, children go free), and I also bought an informative and well illustrated guidebook for £4.95. The wealth of information, maps, paintings, models, documents and artefacts on the museum's three floors told a fascinating story of Whitby in the 1700's, Cook's life and expeditions, the remarkable men who sailed with him, and their amazing discoveries. The reconstructed old kitchen and the period rooms gave me some idea of what it was like to live here. A creaky wooden staircase led me up to the attic where the apprentices slept (you need to mind your head when entering). Enthusiastic guides in most of the rooms who were more than happy to answer any questions I had. You need a couple of hours at least to see and absorb everything. There's a nice little gift shop at the entrance, and a toilet on the ground floor. All in all a really enjoyable visit, and I learned a great deal. A must-see for anyone who...

James Cook was exploring Pacific ocean and some islands got his name. That what I knew till this morning. So whilst walking in Grape Lane just over the swing bridge when I noticed museum of James Cook decision could be only one. Visit and explore James Cook memorial museum. With no hesitation I went inside to learn more. I wasn't disappointed. On several floors of this 17th century building I found many details of Cooks life and his expeditions. Pictures, letters, memorabilia and models of his ship. Endeavour. The same name had the command module of Apollo 15 on mission to the moon. So Cook's exploring and discoveries were inspiring for outer space explorers and I'm sure they still will be in future. I'd like to mention the volunteering guide man in museum. A real gentleman who gave me instructions how to explore the museum and told me about history of Whitby in 18th century and Cook's life. I came to Whitby this morning only to take part in 5K parkrun, to eat lunch, and to drink a pint of local lager. But at the end also returned home with lots of interesting stories and details from History of England....