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Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre
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Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre

See all things to do
See all things to do
Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre
4.5
578
#1 of 22 things to do in Grimsby
History Museums
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10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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About
Experience the height of the fishing industry of Great Grimsby! A job often described as the 'most dangerous peacetime occupation in the UK', these men literally risked their lives in order to bring home fish to a port described as 'the world's premiere fishing port'. Come and see their story!
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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See what other travelers are saying
  • Grgggggg
    Ventnor, United Kingdom54 contributions
    Superb attraction
    Utterly fascinating. Probably the most successful "industry" museum I have ever visited. Complete authenticity, and presented with apparently no regard for expence: this sumptuous experience must have cost a fortune to put together. Nice little cafe offering meticulous, friendly service and excellent food, at very reasonable cost. Do take the trawler tour for a small extra outlay. Our guide, a retired trawler skipper, was a fount of knowledge and brilliant with the children, his presentation thorough and fascinating. Seeing the Ross Tiger was a really marvellous way to end our visit.....but you should try and book in advance, as very few visitors can be accommodated on any one tour. This is an attraction really NOT to be missed.
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 31, 2022
  • Redders253
    Lincoln, United Kingdom111 contributions
    Grimsby fishing heritage
    Tour around the Trawler “Ross Tiger” followed by the museum- looking back at the history. Value for money and very educational Tour guide on the Ross Tiger by “The Viking” was outstanding- to hear about the working conditions from someone who was there added credible facts and he was able to answer all questions in depth. Interesting to see old items and learn about the hard but good times they experience and be informed of the exciting plans for improving the Fishing heritage centre was well worth the visit. Thanks to all involved.
    GFHC
    Many thanks for your support. Delighted that you enjoyed your visit and tour with us!
    Written August 25, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 14, 2022
  • Robert G
    1 contribution
    Great visit to a very friendly and informative venue
    Great place to visit - visited on November 11th with a group of 16 seniors, without exception all thought it was an amazing, well organised venue. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The tour of the Ross Tiger was an experience not to be missed - Our guide, Bob, a fisherman for over 50 years had a great sense of humour, very informative and certainly gave us an insight into the life on board a trawler - his experiences being a skipper was very enlightening. The museum, was again, very good, educational and informative , showing the hardship the crews had to experience to bring home the fish. Will certainly visit again, with family.
    Written November 12, 2021
These reviews are the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
578 reviews
Excellent
426
Very good
124
Average
22
Poor
1
Terrible
5
Alan C
Grimsby, UK21 contributions
A trip back in time
Mar 2020
It seems that people that have never been to Grimsby see it a s a grey dismal place that was once known only for its fish. However, I have been very impressed with the town since my first visit and in fact have now chosen it as my home. The Fishing Heritage Centre gives visitors an insight into the hard life that the old trawlermen endured to provide the nation with fish. In times gone by the majority of the towns population were employed in some way within the fishing industry. Men went to sea, women mended nets and both men and women processed the fish once they were landed. Everyone knew someone who was lost at sea as the mortality rate was high. Fishing was a very dangerous occupation and the Heritage Fishing Centre brings to life with sights, sounds and even the smell of what life was like aboard the many trawlers that called the port of Grimsby home. The centre offers very good value for money and included in the visit is a guided tour around one of the very few surviving trawlers, the Ross Tiger. Visitors can see first hand what conditions aboard ship were like and add to that the fact that the ships were, more often than not, working in icy conditions it is easy to understand the arduous and hazardous life that the trawler men endured. This is a great value for money venue that has something for everyone and is well worth a visit.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
mpumbavu
Mwanza, Tanzania58 contributions
Missed the interactive child centred displays
Jul 2021
Due to CoVid restrictions all of the interactive displays were covered up. We were allotted a time of one hour, but managed to get round in 40mins because the 10 year old with us didn't have much to 'do'. It was interesting but without the interactive displays we were left wishing there was more. Lots of 'Do not touch' notices made it quite restrictive.
We also then went on the fishing boat, which was informative and interesting - guided tour
Written July 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ken O
Greater London, UK17 contributions
A history of trawler fishing from Grimsby
Nov 2021 • Friends
I visited this museum Nov 11 2021 with a group of friends. The museum staff were incredibly friendly & the 3 floors of exhibits well worth seeing, providing explanation about developments in sea faring technology as well as trawler fishing. BUT, undoubtedly the highlight of the trip was the guided tour round the retired Ross Tiger trawler conducted by Bob, a retired Trawler Skipper. Anyone with an interest in our island’s history couldn’t fail to enjoy this.
Written November 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
951Sue2014
Rye, UK6 contributions
Please reign in the Covid BS
Aug 2021
An interesting site and well worth the visit. The chap giving the guided tour of the Ross Tiger was engaging and informative. I trust they will get the funding to carry on with the refurbishment as this is a valuable and rare asset. My only complaint is the semi militant 'Covid aware' staff in the restaurant. Being instructed to 'wait there until I call you forward' and then hearing them tell a family of six they cannot all sit at the same table (max four to table due to Covid rules) is a bit silly, irritating and dated. They need to get back into the real world.
Written August 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
K78steve
York, UK188 contributions
Well Worth It
Nov 2021 • Couples
The museum tells the story of the fishing industry in Grimsby in a very interesting way with “rooms” showing each aspect of life on and off a trawler. The quality was excellent but it didn’t take long to go round. The highlight and the reason for 5 stars was the guided tour around the Ross Tiger, a fishing trawler that used to fish in the cold Arctic seas. The guide was an “old mariner” who brought the boat to life with his descriptions of life as a deep sea fisherman. Thankfully the boat is in dock so we didn’t have to experience rough seas like they did !
We visited mainly though because Grimsby was a port of arrival for many migrants in the 19th century and we were hoping to see something about that period but instead it was 100% fishing plus for some strange reason it was also doubling up as an art gallery. Space that could have been used to tell the story of migration. But don’t let that put you off, the trawler tour was superb.
Written November 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mike
Glossop, UK403 contributions
Dioramas
Dec 2022 • Solo
Presented as a series of realistic depictions of life on board a fishing trawler and then back home to the dockside, pub and chippy. Outside you can normal tour a real life trawler although that is undergoing repair currently. Decent small cafe a good wheelchair access provisions.
Written December 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
EW
Slough, UK9 contributions
Fantastic displays bringing history to life
Sep 2022
The museum is divided up into realistic scenes telling the story of fishing in Grimsby including life aboard ships and on shore such as the pub and fish and chip shop. There are interactive activities such as signing on as a ships engineer or even cat! Local information is provided in abundance with a good mixture of items, photos and text.

Staff are helpful and friendly. The café is lovely and there are items in the gift shop for all budgets.
Written September 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Skippy151
Frinton-On-Sea, UK2 contributions
Great tour of the Ross Tiger thanks to Dave the very informative guide
Oct 2021
I purchased a combination ticket for both the heritage centre and the Ross Tiger. The heritage centre was really interesting with very good exhibits. I then had a guided tour of the Ross Tiger which was great. Dave the guide was very informative and excellent in explaining all about life on the trawler. He really bought everything to life so you could imagine what it must have felt like to work on this ship.
Written October 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
GFHC
Many thanks for your kind review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to us! :)
Written October 19, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
NotColin
Warwickshire, UK123 contributions
So glad I wasn't a fisherman!
Sep 2020 • Couples
This museum gives some insight into how tough the life of a trawlerman must have been. Including lots of stuff about life on shore, from apprentice onwards. Really enjoyed it, and it'll be even better when the Ross Tiger is open again. The entrance cost, £6 per adult, seems very good value. Covid precautions in evidence throughout, including having to book a time slot to visit. Topped off with tea and a bun in the cafe.
Written September 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Becky C
Heysham, UK12 contributions
Fantastic museum, lovely staff
Jun 2022 • Family
Fantastic place to learn all about fishing and the local connections in Grimsby. Really well done. Lots of interactive things to touch and experience. There was a tour outside on a real fishing boat led by a previous skipper of the boat, Bob. You had to be over 5 to go on here so myself and our baby stayed off this while my husband and son went on. They said it was fantastic, very interesting and Bob really tailored the tour to our son as they were the only ones in there. I waited in the cafe while they did the tour and the lovely ladies in the cafe looked after us very well. Inside the main museum we were given a sheet with instructions of the best way to get around avoiding the stairs as we had the pram and this was a really helpful touch.
Overall, we were really impressed with the museum itself but also by the care of the staff. Well worth the visit 😊
Written June 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre
Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre is open:
  • Tue - Sun 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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