Maritime Museums: a Guide to the Collections and MuseumShips in Britain and Ireland by Martin H Evans & JanetWest

Publisher: 96pp £ 5.95

There are, surprisingly, around 250 maritime museums listed for Britain and Ireland, and more than 350 ships and boats which can be visited. They range from the massive National Maritime Museum at Greenwich to tiny local museums, from such great historic vessels as Warrior to little working boats. The museums are meticulously listed by geographic region with a summary of the type of exhibit. Phone numbers, addresses, hours of opening and, in many cases, their related web site and e-mail addresses are included. The museum ships and historic vessels are listed in alphabetical order with a note of the related museum as appropriate. A short introduction gives useful notes, a list of reference books and useful addresses for further general information or research. There are some helpful suggestions for enquiry through web site links. Altogether this is a delightful slender pocket book for the ship’s library or for the car. It will help to fill in the hours when the sea is less inviting. –MJD