Kingston Upon Hull: Maritime History, Museums and Routes

Kingston Upon Hull tells its maritime story through museums, art collections and historic sites. The Hull Maritime Museum explores the city’s 800-year relationship with the sea; its collections are officially recognised as being of national importance. At the Ferens Art Gallery, the art spans the Middle Ages to the present day. Its maritime art collection also explores the connection between the local community and the world across the water.

Discover Museums and History

The Streetlife Museum traces the history of transport in its galleries, from horse-drawn carriages and early bicycles to the development of the automobile. It includes a covered street depicting Hull in the 1940s. The history of transport and a glimpse of life in the city at the time come together here in a variety of exhibits.

The Hull and East Riding Museum of Archaeology covers the region’s natural and human history, from the Triassic period to the English Civil War. Its exhibits include a life-size woolly mammoth. Those with a particular interest in the history of the transatlantic slave trade and its consequences can explore eight galleries on the subject at Wilberforce House, the birthplace of William Wilberforce. The adjoining Georgian galleries also display Hull and East Riding crafts, including silverware, clocks and furniture.

Hull Minster has a history stretching back more than 700 years; construction began in 1285. A tower tour leads to the highest publicly accessible point in Kingston Upon Hull. As tours may vary seasonally, check in advance whether one is running on the date of your visit.

City Routes and Public Art

The Fish Trail invites you to search for 41 fish in the city centre. The Ale Trail passes the George Hotel, Hull’s oldest surviving licensed pub. The Fish Trail gives you a specific subject to look for, while the historic pub is a notable named landmark on the Ale Trail. The two routes therefore offer different ways to explore the city.

Queen’s Gardens occupies the site of the former Queen’s Dock and connects the Hull Maritime Museum with the North End Shipyard. Hull has an established network of scenic and urban walking routes for people of all ages and abilities. Its cycling network is also growing, with on-road cycle lanes, separate cycle paths, low-traffic streets and open spaces.

Parks and Nature Areas

At East Park, the model boat pond is considered the only sailing facility of its kind in northern England. Ferens Boating Lake provides a habitat for wildlife as well as opportunities for boating and fishing. The two bodies of water represent different aspects of the park: a dedicated facility for model sailing and a lake where nature and leisure activities meet.

Noddle Hill Nature Reserve has walking trails and a scenic fishing lake. Relaxed family walks are offered there throughout the year. The reserve complements the city’s routes with a natural setting where both walks and the lake are part of the visit.

More Places to Suit Different Interests

The Deep overlooks the Humber Estuary. Its aquarium in Hull offers formal and informal learning opportunities focused on conservation. The Hull History Centre brings together archives that tell the story of the city and its residents. Free exhibitions explore these archives; exhibitions and programmes may change. The centre is a ten-minute walk from Paragon Interchange.

The Spurn Lightship is a floating museum in Hull Marina and part of the National Historic Fleet. New interpretation and exhibitions tell its complete story. Hull Truck Theatre offers a different mix of productions, including new plays, family performances and accessible theatre. As individual productions vary, it is worth checking the programme for your visit dates.

When planning a hotel stay, you could start by considering which of these themes will shape your trip: maritime history, art, city history, theatre, or walking routes and nature. Hull Museums offers free admission at all its sites, which are within walking distance of one another. This is a practical consideration if you plan to visit several museums. For seasonal tower tours and changing exhibitions and theatre productions, check the dates during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Sutton-On-Hull, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Calderdale, West Yorkshire, Rotherham, Kirklees, Bradford.

For the wider travel overview: Yorkshire And The Humber.