Captain Cook Museum, Whitby
Step into the only surviving building certainly linked to James Cook — a Grade I listed 17th-century house on Whitby's historic harbourside. Built in 1688, this was home to Captain John Walker, who took on a seventeen-year-old apprentice named James Cook in 1746. The rest is history. Inside, you'll walk the same floorboards Cook once did. True to Quaker principles, there's no grandeur here — just an authentic, atmospheric glimpse into a master-mariner's world, its original colours restored to create a calm, evocative feel. Ground floor rooms are furnished exactly as they were in the 1750s. Look closely in the Blue Room: the original floorboards, and a door cleverly bent to match the panelling — a nod to Whitby's shipwrights and craftsmen. Climb higher and follow Cook's journey from Whitby to Canada, and on to the far "Ends of the Earth." At the top, the attic where young Cook once slept now hosts a special exhibition that changes every year — with the harbour view getting better with every step up. Outside, our Courtyard Garden blooms with 18th-century planting, including exotic South Seas species like flax and bottlebrush. And don't miss our collection of over 700 stunning botanical prints from the Joseph Banks Florilegium, drawn by Sydney Parkinson on Cook's first voyage. There's always something happening: • Tuesdays — Free guided Tours at 11am & 12pm (included with entry) • Wednesdays — Storytime and Workshops for families • Thursdays — Talks exploring Cook's life and legacy • Every August — The Historical Maritime Society sails in! Meet Nelson-era sailors and Royal Marines in full uniform, bringing the Age of Sail to life every Saturday and Sunday Open 7 days a week, February to November. Come walk in the footsteps of a legend https://www.cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk