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.

New special exhibition every year. For 2023 'Ice! Exploring the Far South'. We should think of Captain Cook as a polar explorer! 250 years ago, with two ships, Resolution and Adventure, Cook crossed the Antarctic Circle for the first time ever. The exhibition gives a sense of the extraordinary conditions confronting the small Whitby-built ships, and the work carried out – on ice, the temperature, the formation of icebergs, the varied Antarctic phenomena as well as birds and mammals seen

We are maintaining anti-Covid measures, screens and extra cleaning. Face coverings are now a personal choice. We are encouraging visitors and staff to continue to use hand sanitiser and to keep to prudent social distance.

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.