Telling the story of Captain James Cook – a world navigator and mariner
The Captain Cook Birthplace Museum celebrates the life of one of Middlesbrough’s greatest sons, the British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, James Cook.
Who was Captain Cook?
Cook is famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean and to Australia in particular. He made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to the Pacific, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, and the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand.
The museum is housed in a purpose-built building close to the granite urn marking the site of James Cook’s birthplace cottage in Stewart Park, Marton.
Admission
Child: £3.65
Concession: £3.65
Adult (16+): £4.70
Family tickets available.
Facilities and events
Visitors can enjoy food from the on-site café, Cook’s Café, and a gift and bookshop.
The museum has lots of exhibitions, events, learning programmes, and activities throughout the year. Find out more on their What’s On page.
Opening hours
Opening times are Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 4pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and bank holidays.
Cook’s legacy
While Cook is celebrated for his achievements, his legacy is also complex. His interactions with indigenous peoples were mixed with courteous and respect but at times could also be fraught with misunderstanding and conflict.
Since then, the museum has worked with organisations like the Aboriginal Art Board of Australia who donated part of their reserve collection in 1980. This formed the largest collection of its kind outside of Australia at the time and the museum runs workshops around the art pieces, Aboriginal creation stories, and much more.
The museum’s work helps raise important questions about the impact of European colonialism as well as celebrating the lives of the people living in Australia, New Zealand, Oceania and South Africa at the time.
