Entrance Hall
In the entrance you find a model that shows King’s Lynn during the Tudor period (1485 – 1601), a mannequin of Duggie Carter, one of the North End’s best known fishermen. Discover an array of authentic traditional fishing equipment, a typical fisherman’s ‘gansey’ pullover and Tom Benefer’s original samphire cart.
Main Gallery
Here you can learn about the old North End from a detailed 3D model made by Fred Hall, including all the streets, buildings, pubs, school and St. Nicholas’ Chapel, and how so much of the area was lost due to the slum clearances and later development schemes. There are also displays of original fisherfolk domestic artefacts from everyday life in the Yard and several boat models.
Exhibition Gallery
Here we hold regular exhibitions, including interactives and short films. These have included The History of Fish and Chips, King’s Lynn Underground (The Archaeology of King’s Lynn), Timber! Trees and Seas and A Fearful Gale, The Scottish Fishing Fleet Disaster of 1875.
Find out about our latest exhibition on our events page.
Fisherfolk Cottages
Come and explore the last two remaining fisherfolk cottages in King’s Lynn that were once part of six tiny cottages forming True’s Yard.
Cottage number 5 is decorated in the style of of how the fisherfolk would have lived in the 1850’s and 60’s, compared to the slightly improved conditions of the 1920’s and 30’s in cottage number 6.
Smokehouse
This is the last surviving smokehouse in the North End and King’s Lynn, recently restored as a project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Herring were smoked here from at least the 1880s. Come and find out all about Thomas Westwood, the ‘silver darlings’, bloaters and kippers – and give us a pong rating!
Smithy
This building was once the workplace of William True, the owner of True’s Yard from 1818 and also a whitesmith, making and repairing pots and pans in an age when everything was mended and nothing was thrown away.
This area is now used to display more artefacts kindly donated by North End families, and is also used for our art exhibitions in the summer, hosting a variety of locally established artists.
The Yard: Tea Room & Coffee Shop
The Georgian tea room and coffee shop offers a wide range of loose leaf teas and coffees, along with an excellent selection of light meals, snacks and of course, delicious cream teas!
Gift Shop and Books
Our small but perfect shop offers a range of gifts and nautical-themed items for adults and children alike. You can also find a good selection of quality publications including the latest research on King’s Lynn’s history and North End fisherfolk tales.
