Adventure!  Endurance!  Extraordinary Seamanship!  Survival against the odds! 

The story begins at the handsome 17th-century harbourside house now the Captain Cook Memorial Museum.

This is where the great explorer, James Cook, came to serve his apprenticeship in Whitby in the year 1746. It belonged to Cook's master, the Quaker ship owner, Captain John Walker. When the young Cook was not at sea, he lodged here in the attic with Walker's 'other family' of apprentices.

Cook’s voyages were the 18th century equivalent of today’s missions to Mars. For ten years Cook and his crews explored the unknown, uncharted waters of the Pacific, the South Atlantic, and the Arctic Oceans. Danger was ever present.

The thought-provoking collection of original paintings and drawings, letters in Cook’s own hand, ship models, maps and fascinating objects gathered on the voyages illustrate the Cook story.

Specially for children, Museum Activity Trail, activity cards.
Display your drawings in the Museum.

Free house guide (in 6 languages).
Gift shop

N.B. Accessibility. This is a Grade 1 listed building built in 1688. There is wheelchair access to the ground and first floors. For people who may find the stairs difficult, there is a 20 minute DVD on the ground floor about the second floor, the attic and the special exhibition.