Poole Museum (Waterfront Museum)

Poole Museum, housed in historic waterfront buildings, tells the story of Poole from prehistoric times to the present day. The museum features Poole’s maritime heritage including boat building, fishing, trade with Newfoundland, and smuggling. Notable exhibits include a reconstructed Iron Age logboat found in Poole Harbour, Poole Pottery collections, archaeological finds, and displays on the town’s role in WWII D-Day preparations. Interactive exhibits engage children while comprehensive galleries satisfy serious history enthusiasts. The museum explores how the harbor shaped Poole’s development and prosperity. Temporary exhibitions add variety to permanent displays. Located on Poole Quay in the historic quarter, the museum benefits from atmospheric waterfront context. Free admission makes local heritage accessible to all. The museum demonstrates how maritime towns preserve and present their unique histories, connecting contemporary Poole to its seafaring past through artifacts, stories, and scholarship.