Is The Time and Tide Museum Worth Visiting? A Family Review

The Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth is an attraction we didn’t expect to love, but it turned out to be one of the best indoor things to do in Great Yarmouth.

Housed in a former Victorian fish curing factory, the museum tells the story of Great Yarmouth’s fishing heritage, seaside history, and local life through immersive exhibits and interactive displays.

If you’re looking for a rainy day activity in Great Yarmouth, or a family-friendly museum that doesn’t feel boring for kids, this one is well worth adding to your list.

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What is the Time and Tide Museum?

The Tide and Time Museum is a maritime and local history museum in Great Yarmouth. It’s set inside a restored Victorian herring curing works, and you can still smell the curing process that has seeped into the brick walls as you enter the building.

The museum covers a broad spectrum of history including:

Great Yarmouth’s fishing and herring industry
Victorian Street Life (this includes recreations of ‘row’ housing which is great to explore with kids)
Wartime and maritime history in Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth’s development as a seaside resort.

What To Expect Inside

The exhibits were interesting and well presented, with plenty of interactive elements to entertain the children. You start your tour by entering a replica of typical row housing from 1913, which was incredibly popular in the area, and was incredibly well done. The walk-through Victorian street scene is a great way to bring history to life.

You then passed into a courtyard, where you could see examples of old fishing boats, and we also found a play boat which the children jumped straight on to, despite the rain.

You’ll also find:

Old fishing boats and harbour exhibits
Interactive displays for children
Wartime and local history galleries
A recreated smokehouse atmosphere

This museum is impressive and much larger than it looks from the outside. You could easily spend two hours or more inside if you want to explore everything it has to offer.

Is Time and Tide Museum Good For Children?

The Great Yarmouth Time and Tide Museum is a genuinely family-friendly museum. The boys were just 5 and 8 at the time of our visit, and there was so much that they could get hands-on with.

They especially enjoyed:

The interactive exhibits
The recreated rooms and streets in the Victorian area
The boat displays and the boat play area
The hands-on element throughout. Every room has something kids can touch or play with.

This meant that the Time and Tide museum works especially well for mixed age groups because it balances education for older guests with things for younger children to explore and touch.

How Long Does It Take To Visit?

Most visitors spend between 1.5 to 2.5 hours inside the Time and Tide museum in Great Yarmouth. We were in the museum for around 2 hours.

You could rush around and see it in 1 hour if you’re short on time, but to properly explore the exhibits, I recommend allowing at least a couple of hours in your schedule.

Tips For Visiting the Time and Tide Museum

Visit on a rainy day. This is the perfect way to get out of the rain in Great Yarmouth without spending a small fortune in the arcades!
Allow at least 2 hours to explore the museum properly without feeling like you’re rushing
This is a great choice as a mid-holiday break away from beach activities
Combine your visit with the seafront if you want to make a day of the experience

Time and Tide Museum FAQs

Is The Time and Tide Museum Indoors?

With the exception of the boat themed playground, the Time and Tide museum is fully indoors, making it a great choice for wet weather days (we actually visited on a rainy day ourselves!)

Where Is The Time and Tide Museum?

The Time and Tide Museum is located in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, close to the town centre and not far from the sea front.

The full address is Blackfriars Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 3BX.

Do You Need to Book in Advance?

This depends on the season. You would need to pre-book during most of the year, but pre-booking is often recommended during busy periods like the summer months.

How Much Does The Time and Tide Museum Cost?

Due to Covid requirements, tickets to the museum must be pre-booked at least a day in advance. Adult tickets cost £6.70, whilst children cost £6.20: under 4s are free. For a family ticket (of 2 adults and 2 children) the price is £23.22.

TIP: If you’re on a budget then Norfolk museums offer a ‘twilight hour’ ticket, where you can visit for the last hour before closing for just £2.50 per person. We used to do this a lot at Norwich castle when Boy5 was a little younger, and couldn’t spend more than an hour at a time in a museum anyway!

You can find out more about the Time and Tide museum, and book tickets, here