Maritime Museum

Please note:
The Maritime Museum is now closed to the public, artefacts from the museum now feature in displays at SeaCity Museum. The new museum tells the story of the people of the city, their fascinating lives and historic connections with Titanic and the sea. Visit SeaCity Museum to discover how we bring maritime history to life through an interactive experience designed for all ages, for more information please visit the SeaCity Museum website.

History of Southampton Maritime Museum

The Wool House was built in 1417 as a warehouse for the medieval wool trade with Flanders and Italy. After the decline of wool exports in the late 16th century, the building became a store for alum, a substance used to prepare cloth for dyeing. During the 18th century it was used as a prison and some French prisoners of war carved their names in beams, which can still be seen on the first floor. In 1966 the Wool House opened as Southampton Maritime Museum and closed in September 2011.

For current opening hours please click here

The Wool House plaque
Follow this link to see a larger image. (Note on some computers this may take a little longer to download depending on the speed of your connection)