REOPENING DELAYED UNTIL 2021 We are sad to say that unlike our other sites, HMS Caroline will not be reopening to the public this summer. HMS Caroline is located in Belfast and as such she is governed by a different funding model, through the Northern Ireland Executive. At the moment, they have chosen to keep the ship closed for the remainder of the year. This is something that we are vigorously campaigning to avoid and we continue to liaise with the Department for the Economy. We hope to welcome you back on board again and share the story of this unique survivor.

Step on board and embark on a journey across one hundred years of maritime history.

A finalist of the Art Fund's Museum of the Year 2019 awards, HMS Caroline is Belfast’s newest five-star rated visitor attraction. Shortly after the First World War, HMS Caroline arrived in Belfast – her home for almost one hundred years. Step on board and experience life at sea.

Walk through the original, authentic historic spaces and discover the Captain’s Cabins or take a seat in the Ward Room and see how the Officers dined. Discover the stories of people who served on board the ship through our state of the art interactive exhibits in the Virtual Access Suite or learn some of the skills sailors used in the Signal School. Then, descend into the rumbling engine rooms and listen as the ship is brought to life! Don’t forget to stop for a bite to eat in our themed Mess Deck Café – the same place that some of the sailors slept and ate! Or relax in our maritime-themed playpark and picnic area with a brilliant view over Belfast Harbour. Transport yourself back in time and experience what life was like for sailors on board a First World War ship.

Where are we?

HMS Caroline is berthed in the newly refurbished Alexandra Dock which is located in the heart of Belfast’s historic Titanic Quarter! Complete with free car parking, maritime-themed play park and picnic area. It couldn’t be easier to find us!

By car – Take the car and park in our free car park which is located beside the ship. We are only a two minute drive on Queen’s Road past the SSE arena and Titanic Belfast.

By public transport – Take the 10 minute journey on the G2 Glider from Belfast City Hall to the Catalyst Inc. stop. Simply walk through Catalyst’s car park to reach us at Alexandra Dock. Plan your journey now.

By foot – HMS Caroline is only a pleasant 30 minute walk from the iconic Big Fish in Belfast City Centre or a 15 minute walk from Titanic Hotel, Belfast. From the Big Fish, walk across the Lagan Weir Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge and follow the water until you see Belfast Harbour Marina. Walk along the picturesque Maritime Mile and pass Titanic Exhibition Centre and the Great Light on your way.

By Bicycle – There is a Belfast Bike stations right at HMS Caroline, so take advantage and enjoy a leisurely cycle on the Maritime Mile.

Access at HMS Caroline

At HMS Caroline, we have made the ship as accessible as possible. Did you know that we have a variety of lifts on board to take visitors to different decks as well as disabled facilities, car parking and an accessible route?

However there are some things that visitors should be aware of before visiting. If you would like to know more about accessibility, you can download our access guide.

What is HMS Caroline?

A recent finalist of the 2019 Art Fund Museum of the Year, HMS Caroline is an iconic ship and a living legend in Belfast, her home for 95 years. She is also the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the largest naval battle ever fought

There is something on board for everyone, whether you want to learn about the life of sailors at sea, Belfast’s fascinating maritime history, enjoy a fun-filled family adventure or learn more about the ship herself!

HMS Caroline is a C-class light cruiser, built in Birkenhead at Lairds shipyard in 1914. After fighting in Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle in history, she was recommissioned for service in the East Indies. HMS Caroline arrived in Belfast in 1924 and became the static floating headquarters of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve. After being decommissioned in 2011, the ship was restored with the help of Heritage Lottery Fund, Department of the Economy and the Heritage Memorial Fund and opened as a museum in June 2016.

Today, you can learn all about maritime history and experience how sailors lived over a hundred years ago. With the interactive displays coupled with the truly authentic historic spaces, HMS Caroline is an experience not to be missed!

The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment have worked as partners to restore and interpret HMS Caroline, a lone survivor and living legend. With the help of a grant of £11.5m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) the ship opened to all for the first time in June 2016.

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