Displays And Events

Tales of The Sea Exhibition

The exhibition explores life on board a 19^th century trading ship through tales of the crew. The exhibition marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first English colony in Canada. In 1610 a group of West Country pioneers settled at Cupids in Newfoundland.

Poole Harbour was once bustling with sailing ships. Most of these were coastal vessels but some ventured far afield. The Newfoundland trade involved Poole ships crossing the Atlantic to take on valuable cargoes of salt cod. This was taken to southern Europe. They then returned to Poole with goods such as wine, oil, salt and fruit. Another important trade brought timber from the Baltic. This exhibition explores Poole's trade and the lives of the crews who manned the ships through a series of tales and portraits of ships painted at the time. The experiences of merchants, captains, ship's boys and cooks have been brought to life with interactive exhibits and activities.

Councillor Peter Adams, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Strengthening our Communities, said, "I am delighted that Poole's long and important history as a trading port and its strong connections with Newfoundland are being celebrated in this new exhibition at Poole Museum. The sea, boats and trade have a vital role for our community today and this exhibition gives us a chance to see how life at sea was for previous generations."

Michael Spender, Museum Manager, added, "We are expecting 'Tales of the Sea' to appeal particularly to families. There are a number of games and hands-on exhibits for children, who will also enjoy the tales of what was a pretty tough life for Victorian sailors."

The exhibition will be accompanied by an activity booklet for children.

Entry to the exhibition and the rest of Poole Museum is free of charge. The Museum is open Monday to Saturday 10.00 am to 5.00 pm and Sunday 12.00 noon to 5.00 pm until 27^th February 2011 (winter hours start 1^st November).

For more information please contact Poole Museum on 01202 262 600