Attraction Information
The Grace Darling Museum is a fascinating tribute to an extraordinary lady, particularly in an age when ladies were neither expected nor encouraged to be extraordinary! Grace Darling was 22 years old and living in the lighthouse with her family when they spotted a shipwreck on a nearby sandbank during a storm. She and her father decided it was too dangerous for the coastguard to approach from their direction so they rowed out together in an open boat to rescue the survivors! They rowed for over a mile through terrifying sea conditions to reach them, saving all the remaining survivors of the wrecked SS Forfarshire, back in 7 September 1838.
Grace was the media celebrity of her day and was celebrated internationally and was showered with honours, including the RNLI's Silver Medal for Gallantry. A museum was established in 1938 to commemorate her life which includes the famous rescue vessel, Grace's dresses, letters and family belongings and a wealth of commemorative ware.
It's inspiring and interesting for sure, but it's definitely worth noting for grown ups that the survivors rescued were merely 9 left from 62, the rest perished in the shipwreck including the children of one of the survivors…
It's far from light fare, and small or sensitive kids may well find the details upsetting, concluding with Ms Darling herself expiring a mere 4 years after the adventure. You need to give serious consideration as to whether your kids would be able to take only the positives from this experience.
Opening Times
1st April - 30th September
Monday to Sunday 10:00 - 17:00
1st October - 31st March
Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 - 16:00
Pricing & Tickets
Free admission
Book in advance for cheapest tickets
Find other attractions similar to Grace Darling Museum by visiting our attraction tickets section.
FAQs
Yes, there is parking nearby.