For a relatively small island, the Isle of Man really does offer a lot for visitors, including its selection of fascinating museums. We’ve picked 10 of the best for you to explore and enjoy while on your trip.
About the Isle of Man’s history and heritage
The Isle of Man’s history and heritage stretch back for thousands of years. The island is home to the world’s oldest continuous parliament, Tynwald, which was established by the Vikings over 1,000 years ago (although no one is sure of the exact year). There are also castles to visit, like the Medieval Castle Rushen, which is well preserved despite being built over 800 years ago.
Manx Gaelic, the island’s once-dominant language, was declared extinct in 2009 but efforts to keep it alive have paid off. There are classes available for adults and children, and there’s even a yearly Manx language festival.
That’s not the only festival – there’s also Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Festival every July, which celebrates Celtic culture through music, dance, arts and crafts, and more. Other notable events include Viking Long Boat Championships in Peel Harbour and the World Tin Bath Championships in Castletown.
Top 10 Must-Visit Isle of Man Museums
1. Manx Museum
- Address: Manx Museum, Kingswood Grove, Douglas, IM1 3LY
- What Three Words: visit.sums.gentle
- Opening hours: Open daily, 9:30am till 4:30pm
- Admission: Free, recommended £10 donation
The Manx Museum displays items from the Stone Age, Viking age and more, all the way up to the modern day, showing the development of life on the Isle of Man. Interactive displays will entertain adults and children alike.
Galleries include the Viking Gallery, Natural History Gallery, and the National Art Gallery, which displays works by artists including William Hoggatt, Archibald Knox, and John Miller Nicholson. There’s even an exhibit dedicated to the Isle of Man TT Races on display every summer. Don’t forget to explore for the temporary exhibits, which change each year.
2. Isle of Man Motor Museum
- Address: Isle of Man Motor Museum, Jurby, Isle of Man, IM7 3BZ
- What Three Words: basis.heckler.formulas
- Opening hours: Open daily during summer season only (generally early April to early October), 10am to 5pm
- Admission: £21.50 for adults; £19.50 for concessions; £10.50 for children aged 5-15; children under 5 go free
The Isle of Man Motor Museum is home to over 500 vehicles of different types: cars, motorcycles, steam cars, trucks, buses, fire engines, limousines and even a hovercraft. Many of these were collected by a father and son, Denis and Darren Cunningham, who established the museum and lend their names to the museum’s Cunningham Collection. Look out for the history behind each vehicle – it offers some interesting personal stories.
3. House of Manannan Museum
- Address: House of Manannan Museum, Mill Road, Peel, IM5 1TA
- What Three Words: pink.directly.lucky
- Opening hours: Open daily, 9:30am till 4:30pm
- Admission: £14 for adults; £7 for students; free entry for children
Manannan is a mythical sea god in Gaelic culture, and it’s his stories you’ll learn as you make your way through the House of Manannan Museum. The exhibits focus on Viking and Celtic history, and the island’s maritime adventures, complete with artefacts dating back hundreds and hundreds of years. There's even a replica Viking longship to show how the invaders made their way across the sea.
4. Jurby Transport Museum
- Address: Jurby Transport Museum, Hangar 230, Jurby Industrial Estate, Jurby, IM7 3BD
- What Three Words: lids.indeed.handler
- Opening hours: Open on Sundays between Easter and September, 11am till 4pm
- Admission: Free, donations welcomed
You’ll find the Jurby Transport Museum in what was once an RAF Bellman Aircraft Hangar. You can see what projects the volunteers are working on, like the restoration of a Fordson E83W van, and the restoration of a 1949 Ferguson Tractor, which spent its working life on the Isle of Man. There are also old buses which are open for all visitors to board, explore and imagine what life would have been like years ago, when they were in service.
5. The Nautical Museum
- Address: The Nautical Museum, Bridge Street, Castletown, IM9 1AX
- What Three Words: limit.bony.cubicles
- Opening hours: Open Saturday to Wednesday
- Between late March and late August: 10am till 4pm
- Between early September and early November: 12pm till 4pm
- Admission: £11 for adults; £5.50 for students; free entry for children
Visitors have the chance to look around Captain George Quayle’s private dock and boathouse, which date back to the 1700s. Located in Castletown Harbour, the museum tells the story of Captain Quayle and Peggy, a sailing ship known as a schooner, and you’ll see items dating back hundreds of years.
6. Douglas Bay Horse Tramway
- Address: Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, Strathallan Crescent, Douglas, IM1 4NR
- What Three Words: pinch.colleague.bravo
- Opening hours: Open between early April and early November
- Admission: Single tickets: £2.50 for adults; £1.50 for children. Day tickets: £5 for adults; £2.50 for children
In many ways the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is a living museum, having been present on the Isle of Man since 1876, when the trams carried visitors and locals alike along the promenade.
Today, the tramway still operates, having been refurbished, so you can sit back and enjoy a ride along the coast as you’re pulled along by the horses, which are known as trammers. There’s even a place for trammers to retire: the Home of Rest for Old Horses, located in Douglas. This charity provides care for horses, donkeys and ponies at the end of their working lives.
7. Grove Museum
- Address: Grove Museum, Andreas Road, Ramsey, IM8 3UA
- What Three Words: doves.conjures.elevator
- Opening hours: Open between late March and early November, Saturday to Wednesday, 12pm till 4pm
- Admission: £11 for adults; £5.50 for students; free entry for children
This Victorian house and its gardens are set up exactly like they would have been back in that era, when the Gibb family lived there each summer. The family patriarch, Duncan Gibb, turned the property from a cottage to a country house with farmland, and it was lived in by three generations of the family until Manx Heritage bought it and opened it to visitors. Learn about life above and below stairs, relax in the gardens, and even see some of the island’s Loaghtan sheep.
8. Cregneash Village
- Address: Cregneash Village, Howe Road, Cregneash, IM9 5PX
- What Three Words: soups.blatant.relieving
- Opening hours: Open daily between late March and early November, 10am till 4:30pm (last admission 4pm)
- Admission: £14 for adults; £5.50 for students; free entry for children
A living museum, Cregneash Village shows exactly what life would have been like for residents in a crofting community in the 1800s, allowing you to explore the Manx cottages and the stories of the former residents. Learn about the skills the residents would have used through demonstrations (complete with staff in traditional dress) and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. There are several walks from here, or you can relax at the local tearooms.
9. Manx Electric Railway Museum
- Address: Manx Electric Railway Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 5PT
- What Three Words: stones.comical.darkens
- Opening hours: Sundays during the peak season, 12pm till 4:30pm
- Admission: Free, donations welcomed
Located close to Derby Castle Station, the Manx Electric Railway Museum showcases a charming collection of artefacts and information from the railway’s history. Make your visit even better with a ride on the railway itself – it's been operating since 1893 and travels along the Isle of Man’s east coast.
10. Manx Aviation and Military Museum
- Address: Manx Aviation and Military Museum, Ronaldsway Airport, Ballasalla, IM9 2AT
- What Three Words: warthog.versatile.verve
- Opening hours: Every weekend throughout the year, 10am till 4:30pm
- Admission: Free, donations welcomed
If you’re travelling through Ronaldsway Airport on a weekend, then it’s worth taking a detour to visit the Manx Aviation and Military Museum. The exhibits focus on the stories of the people connected to the items on display, whether they served in the armed forces or were connected to civil aviation. There are several aircraft in the museum, along with a memorial garden dedicated to people who lost their lives in action.
Book your Steam Packet ferry to the Isle of Man today
If our list of museums has you excited to explore, you’ll be pleased to know you can reach the Isle of Man easily and in comfort by booking a ferry crossing with Steam Packet.