Top Seven Museums to Visit in Cumbria
Cumbria may be best known for its lakes, mountains and walking routes, but the county also has an impressive collection of museums.
Visitors can explore everything from Roman Carlisle and Barrow’s shipbuilding heritage to classic cars, historic boats and the surprising story of the humble pencil.
Here are seven popular Cumbrian museums worth visiting. The list is not ranked, as each offers a very different experience.
| Museum | Location | Standard adult entry |
|---|---|---|
| Windermere Jetty Museum | Bowness-on-Windermere | £12 |
| Lakeland Motor Museum | Backbarrow | £13.25 |
| Wordsworth Grasmere | Grasmere | £16 |
| Derwent Pencil Museum | Keswick | £6.65 |
| Tullie | Carlisle | From £8.50 |
| The Dock Museum | Barrow-in-Furness | Free |
| The Beacon Museum | Whitehaven | £7.50 |
Prices were checked in August 2026 but may change. Temporary discounts, events and special exhibitions may have separate charges.
1. Windermere Jetty Museum
Location: Rayrigg Road, Bowness-on-Windermere, LA23 1BN
Entry: Adults £12, students £9, children aged five to 15 £6 and children aged four or under free.
Windermere Jetty Museum sits directly beside England’s largest natural lake. Its waterside galleries tell the story of boating and leisure on Windermere.
The collection includes historic steam launches, sailing yachts, motorboats and record-breaking speedboats. Visitors can also watch restoration work taking place inside the museum’s conservation workshop.
The setting is one of the museum’s biggest attractions. Large windows and outdoor areas provide views across Windermere, while heritage boat trips are available at selected times for an additional charge.
Visit the Windermere Jetty Museum website.
2. Lakeland Motor Museum
Location: Old Blue Mill, Backbarrow, near Newby Bridge, LA12 8TA
Entry: Adults £13.25, children aged five to 15 £7.90 and families £36. Children under five enter free.
The Lakeland Motor Museum contains around 30,000 motoring exhibits, including more than 140 classic cars and motorbikes.
Its collection covers the history of road transport, from early bicycles and vintage vehicles to motorcycles and more modern cars. Separate displays explore the record-breaking work of Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell.
The museum is a good choice for motoring enthusiasts, but the varied displays mean visitors do not need to be petrolheads to enjoy it. Dogs are also welcome, and free parking is available.
Reduced summer prices apply between June 25 and September 1, 2026. During this period, adult tickets cost £11.60, child tickets cost £6.90 and family entry is £31.50.
See current Lakeland Motor Museum prices.
3. Wordsworth Grasmere
Location: Town End, Grasmere, LA22 9SH
Entry: Adults £16, over-65s £15 and children aged six to 16 £8. Children aged five or under enter free.
Wordsworth Grasmere combines a modern museum with Dove Cottage, the former home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth.
William Wordsworth moved into the cottage in 1799 and wrote some of his best-known work while living there. Dorothy also kept her detailed Grasmere Journal during this period.
Visitors can explore the cottage before seeing original manuscripts, letters and personal items inside the museum. The attraction provides an accessible introduction to the Wordsworth family and the wider Romantic movement.
Standard tickets remain valid for 12 months. Family tickets are also available, while people receiving Universal Credit can enter free with proof of eligibility.
Plan a visit to Wordsworth Grasmere.
4. Derwent Pencil Museum
Location: Southey Works, Keswick, CA12 5NG
Entry: Adults £6.65, children £5.85 and concessions or students £5.55. A ticket for two adults and two children costs £22.
Keswick’s Derwent Pencil Museum explores how locally discovered graphite helped create an industry known around the world.
Visitors enter through a replica graphite mine before learning how pencils have been manufactured over several centuries. Displays include historic machinery, colourful artwork and unusual pencils produced for special events.
One of the most interesting exhibits covers secret Second World War pencils. These were designed to conceal miniature maps and compasses that could help aircrew escape from enemy territory.
The museum is a relatively compact attraction, making it easy to combine with other activities in Keswick.
Find out more about the Derwent Pencil Museum.
5. Tullie
Location: Castle Street, Carlisle, CA3 8TP
Entry: An adult day ticket costs £8.50, while a £16 ticket provides admission for 12 months. Entry is free for under-18s and accompanying carers.
Tullie is one of Cumbria’s largest museums and provides a broad look at the history, art and natural environment of Carlisle and the surrounding border region.
Its Roman Frontier Gallery examines life near Hadrian’s Wall and contains important Roman objects alongside items loaned by the British Museum.
Visitors can also see Pre-Raphaelite artwork and explore the historic Old Tullie House, which dates from 1689. Changing exhibitions and family activities mean there is often something different to see during a return visit.
Some displays may change as work continues on the wider redevelopment of the museum.
Check Tullie’s visitor information.
6. The Dock Museum
Location: North Road, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 2PW
Entry: Free.
The Dock Museum explores the growth of Barrow from a small settlement into a major centre for shipbuilding, engineering and defence.
The museum is built over part of a former dry dock and contains displays covering the town’s industrial and social history. Ship models, archive photographs and locally important objects help explain how the docks and shipyard shaped modern Barrow.
There are also galleries covering earlier settlements around Furness and temporary exhibitions linked to local people, art and community history.
Free admission makes the museum an affordable family attraction. It is normally open from Wednesday to Sunday between 11am and 4pm.
Check The Dock Museum’s opening times.
7. The Beacon Museum
Location: West Strand, Whitehaven, CA28 7LY
Entry: Standard entry is listed at £7.50 for adults, £6 for concessions and £4 for children. A family ticket for two adults and two children costs £19.
The Beacon Museum stands beside Whitehaven’s historic harbour and tells the story of the town and the wider West Cumbrian area.
Its four floors cover subjects including local archaeology, maritime trade, coal mining and the industries that transformed the region. Interactive displays make it particularly suitable for families, while the upper floors provide views across the harbour.
The museum also hosts temporary national and local exhibitions. In summer 2026, these include an exhibition exploring the creatures that lived during the Carboniferous period, long before the dinosaurs.
Temporary reduced admission prices are available until September 1, 2026, including family entry for £16.15. Visitors should check the latest prices before travelling.
Visit The Beacon Museum website.
Planning a Museum Visit in Cumbria
Opening days and admission charges can change throughout the year. Some museums also close on selected weekdays outside the school holidays.
Visitors should check the museum’s official website before travelling, particularly during winter or if they want to attend a temporary exhibition, workshop or guided tour.
