National Waterways Museum

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National Waterways Museum A 200-year-old historic dock, we tell the story of the canals and the people who lived on them. Canals are havens for wildlife.
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With its stunning location on the banks of the Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, extensive in-door displays, boat trips and historic buildings, the museum makes a great family day out in Cheshire, where time slows down and history comes to life. There's so much to explore from the handsome Victorian buildings, which house the museum's Quality Assured Visitor Attraction Logodisplays, to the locks and moorings vibrant with historic and visiting narrow boats. Designed by Thomas Telford under the direction of William Jessop, the docks at Ellesmere Port were still in use as late as the 1950s. They were a marvellously self-contained world and when you visit the museum today you can still walk round its locks, docks and warehouses and visit its forge, stables and workers cottages. Look and listen out for the many birds that live here or travel through - pied wagtails, swans, coots, ducks, cormorants, moor hens - you may even catch sight of a kingfisher or even hear a sky lark! Our page will keep you updated with the latest news and events. Don't forget to share your pictures with us!

Pay 1976 prices on day tickets (24 & 25 October). To celebrate the museum's 50th anniversary year we'll be turning the c...
14/10/2026

Pay 1976 prices on day tickets (24 & 25 October). To celebrate the museum's 50th anniversary year we'll be turning the clocks back to 1976!
🎟️Adults £1.95 I Child/Concs £1.50
🔎Living history across the site
🚂miniature steam engines
📷Exhibition with rare photos and objects
🙋‍♀️Tours, trails and traditional canal crafts
💦Lock and engine demos

09/10/2026

Join Craig Hughes behind the scenes in the museum’s Photogrammetry Suite and discover how our collections team is bringing history to life through 3D images of unique waterways artefacts. Thanks as always to Craig for helping us share our stories!

What a lovely morning we had at Storyhouse in Chester yesterday! Massive thanks to our talented volunteers Sue, Chris, E...
06/10/2026

What a lovely morning we had at Storyhouse in Chester yesterday! Massive thanks to our talented volunteers Sue, Chris, Eve, Neil and John for sharing fabulous stories of what it's like to work behind the scenes at the National Waterways Museum and the traditional skills still used to maintain and preserve the authenticity of the museum's Grade II listed buildings. Big thanks to Helen, Bob and Paul for supporting and of course to StoryhouseLive for inviting us!
📣✨Don't miss - Storyhouse Elders - returning 12-16 October with a festival of connection, and creativity, created specifically for and with older members of Chester’s community.

🎅join us for a festive experience like no other! ⛴️
06/10/2026

🎅join us for a festive experience like no other! ⛴️

Halloween Half Term Activities (26 Oct-1 Nov, 10am - 4pm)Join us at the museum for some spooky fun!👻Ghost Tours * Hallow...
05/10/2026

Halloween Half Term Activities (26 Oct-1 Nov, 10am - 4pm)
Join us at the museum for some spooky fun!
👻Ghost Tours * Halloween Trails * Crafty activities
🚢Frighteningly fun Boat Trips (daily at 11.00, 12.00, 13.00, 14.00 and 15.00)
😋 Scary snacks in the Waterside Café
Did you know the National Waterways Museum has 6 resident ghosts? Will they come out to show themselves this Halloween? Take one of our free Ghost Tours to find out how these waterways spirits ended up here and watch out for our gorgeously ghoulish costumed staff across the site!

Treat your family to a magical experience this Christmas!🛥️Festive Boat Trip & Grotto🎁Meet Santa in his Grotto📍National ...
01/10/2026

Treat your family to a magical experience this Christmas!
🛥️Festive Boat Trip & Grotto
🎁Meet Santa in his Grotto
📍National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port
📅 5/6, 12/13, 19/20 & 21, 22, 23 & 24 December

🛥️Festive Boat Trip & Grotto: Begin your adventure with a festive canal boat trip, where one of Santa’s friendly elves will entertain you with stories, games, a Christmas quiz and jingle bells. Afterwards, step inside an enchanting grotto, where a snowy woodland scene and a crackling fireplace create the perfect setting to meet Santa himself. (£12.50pp)

🎁Meet Santa in his Grotto: Santa has a festive gift for every child and is looking forward to hearing your Christmas wishes. Oh, and he loves having his photo taken (personal photography is permitted) so remember to bring your biggest smiles with you! (£8.50 per child + up to 2 accompanying adults)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Trip Advisor: The elf who took the (boat) tour was absolutely brilliant and really engaged the kids for the entire trip ...our time spent at the museum could not have been better. I would absolutely recommend you pay a visit.

After your visit to Santa, your ticket includes entry into the museum for the whole day.
Book here ➡️https://canalrivertrust.digitickets.co.uk/category/53512?branches.branchID=2917

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We're all very excited to be speaking at the next Storyhouse Elders event:📅 Monday 5 October (10.30am - 12pm)📍Garret Bar...
29/09/2026

We're all very excited to be speaking at the next Storyhouse Elders event:
📅 Monday 5 October (10.30am - 12pm)
📍Garret Bar, Storyhouse Chester
🙌FREE to attend - please book your place in advance here https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/storyhouse-elders-monthly-event/
Meet Sue James who’ll be sharing her story of how she and her team of volunteers care for the museum’s Porters Row period cottages originally built in 1833 for the dockworkers and their families. Today, the cottages are furnished and dressed to reflect different time periods: 1830, 1900, 1936 and 1952. Find out about the challenge of maintaining an authentic care programme as well as the fun to be had (in costume and in various personas) on event days. Sue will also be sharing stories of the early volunteers who set up the original Boat Museum in the early 1970s and the boats, people and buildings that shaped the site that’s there today.
This will be followed by volunteers Eve and Chris who'll be explaining the techniques used by the museum's craft and crochet groups (including lacing and rag-rugging) to add to the authenticity of the cottage furnishings and historic narrow boat cabins.

You can also find out what goes on behind the scenes with site maintenance volunteers Neil and John who'll be sharing insights about preservation, restoration and the traditional carpentry skills used to maintain Porters Row, the museum's Grade II listed buildings and other historic features.

We hope you'll be able to join us at StoryhouseLive

25/09/2026

🎟 SHIPSHAPE NETWORK NORTH HUB EVENT
📍 National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire
🗓 Thursday 29th October, 10.00am to 4.00pm

National Historic Ships UK, in partnership with our Northern Hub Windermere Jetty Museum, is hosting our annual Shipshape Network North Hub event this October.

Bringing together vessel custodians, maritime heritage organisations, museums, volunteers, and skilled craftspeople from across the region, the day will provide an opportunity to share knowledge, discuss challenges and build valuable connections with others working to preserve our maritime heritage.

This year, the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port will play host to coincide with their 50th Anniversary. Alongside a programme of speakers, attendees will have the chance to network with colleagues and enjoy access to one of the UK's most significant inland waterways heritage sites.

SPEAKERS:

🎤 Windermere Jetty Museum (Cumbria) - Introduction to your Shipshape Network North Hub
🎤 The Danny - Daniel Adamson a 1903 steamship with a unique story (Liverpool) - Setting a Steady Course to Northwich
🎤 The Dock Museum (Cumbria) - Two Museums, One Vessel: The Conservation Journey of Herbert Leigh
🎤 Morecambe Bay Prawner Trust (Cumbria) - Spray: Part of a Prawner Renaissance
🎤 National Waterways Museum (Cheshire) - Basuto project
🎤 Oakdale Mersey Flat CIC (Cumbria) - Recording Oakdale: what the latest 3D capture can now do for historic vessels

This event is aimed at owners of local historic craft listed on the National Register of Historic Vessels as well as those involved in the management of a historic craft, maritime heritage organisations, local business or community projects. Join us for a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and connect with others across the sector.

Tickets are £15 and include tea, coffee, lunch, and tours.

See Linktree in our bio and first comment below for booking link.

As part of our commitment to sustainable travel (including our on-going offer of 10% admission discount for anyone arriv...
18/09/2026

As part of our commitment to sustainable travel (including our on-going offer of 10% admission discount for anyone arriving by public transport)...in celebration of World Car Free Day on Tuesday 22 September - we're also offering a FREE hot drink in our Waterside Cafe to anyone who shows a valid travel ticket for that day.

https://ow.ly/4zAJ50ZLUIT

Thanks to everyone who visited, supported or exhibited at our summer events, it's been a fantastic season and we can't w...
17/09/2026

Thanks to everyone who visited, supported or exhibited at our summer events, it's been a fantastic season and we can't wait to do it all again next year! But it's not over yet - join us at our Miniature Steam Weekend (24&25 October).
🚂 Come and meet the Cheshire Live Steamers who'll be steaming back to the museum at the start of the half term holidays to showcase steam powered engineering with a difference. See miniature versions of full-size traction engines in action across the site - built and maintained by their operators. There'll also be an exciting line-up of tours, live demonstrations, and special activities for children.
📍 National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port
📅 24–25 October

Address

South Pier Road
Ellesmere Port
CH654FW

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