Scottish Maritime Museum- Irvine

About this activity

The Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, Strathclyde is a fascinating place to explore the history of Scottish maritime culture. With its two sites at Irvine and Dumbarton, the museum has a wide range of exhibits that showcase the history of ships, boats, and lighthouses in Scotland. In this detailed overview, we will take a closer look at what you can expect to see and do at the Scottish Maritime Museum.

The main site of the museum is located in Irvine and is the larger of the two sites. The museum has an extensive collection of historic ships and boats, including the MV Spartan, the oldest surviving Clyde-built puffer. This steamship was built in 1928 and has been fully restored, giving visitors a glimpse into the past of Scottish maritime trade.

Another fascinating exhibit at the museum is the Scottish Maritime Museum Boatshop, where you can learn all about boatbuilding in Scotland. The Boatshop offers hands-on workshops where visitors can get involved in boatbuilding and repair work. You can learn how to use traditional boatbuilding tools and techniques, and even take home a model boat that you have built yourself.

The Scottish Maritime Museum also has an exhibit on Scottish lighthouses, including the historic Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage. This exhibit offers an insight into what life was like for the lighthouse keepers and their families who lived in these isolated buildings along the Scottish coast. Visitors can explore the cottage and learn about the various types of lighthouses that have been used throughout history.

One of the most unique exhibits at the museum is the Linthouse Engine Room. This exhibit showcases the impressive steam engines that were used to power the ships that were built at the Linthouse shipyard in Glasgow. Visitors can see the engines in action and learn about the history of steam power in Scottish shipbuilding.

The museum also has a fantastic collection of model boats and ships, including a large collection of shipbuilders' models. These models were used by shipbuilders to showcase their designs and were often presented to customers to help them visualize the final product. The museum has a collection of over 100 shipbuilders' models, giving visitors an insight into the shipbuilding industry in Scotland.