National Museum of Royal Navy Hartlepool sets out reopening plans

The National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool has announced it plans to open its doors to customers once more from Friday, September 4, with tickets going on sale this week.

Visitors will notice some changes as new safety measures are introduced and museum bosses say the reopening is only possible thanks to lifeline funding announced by Her Majesty’s Treasury.

The museum, off Marina Way, closed just before the nationwide lockdown in March, and is home to HMS Trincomalee, the oldest floating warship in Europe, which visitors will once again be able to explore.

Roslyn Adamson, general manager of the Hartlepool museum, said: “We are so pleased to announce that the museum will be opening to the public again soon and we are very eager to welcome visitors back through our doors.

"The Covid-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on our finances, as even though we are a National Museum 81% of our revenue is generated through our visitors.

"Now that we are able to reopen we are excited to see what the rest of the year will hold.

"We have been working hard to ensure that our museum will be a safe and welcoming place for visitors to enjoy.

"In order to do this we will be implementing a timed ticketing system and all visitors must be pre-booked online before they arrive as this will ensure that we can accurately manage our capacity levels safely.”

Strict social distancing will be in place around the site and Roslyn said visitors’ safety enjoyment is extremely important to them.

She added: "In order to ensure their safety and make guests feel comfortable we will be introducing a one-way route on board HMS Trincomalee as well as protective screens and cashless payments.”

The museum says it plays a vital role in the local tourist and hospitality offer and is also a major part of the area’s regeneration ambitions.

Tickets go on sale at 12pm on Thursday, August 6, on the National Museum of the Royal Navy’s website.

People can also support the museum's recovery at www.nmrn.org.uk/get-involved/donate

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