The Time and Tide Museum in Great Yarmouth is a fascinating attraction that tells the story of the town’s rich maritime history. The museum is located in the former J.R.N. Tower Curing Works, which was one of the largest commercial curing works in Great Yarmouth. The buildings have been lovingly restored and converted into a museum that offers visitors a unique insight into the town’s past.
The museum is divided into three main areas: The Herring Era, which focuses on the town’s history as a hub of the herring industry; Seaside Holidays, which explores the town’s transformation into a popular tourist destination in the 19th and 20th centuries; and Great Yarmouth and its People, which delves into the social and cultural history of the town.
One of the highlights of the museum is the recreated fish wharf, which gives visitors a sense of what life was like for the fishermen and workers who made their living from the sea. The wharf includes a herring packing shed, smokehouses, and a curing shop, as well as a number of fishing boats.
Another fascinating exhibit is the ‘Row Houses‘, which are a series of small rooms that have been recreated to show what life was like for the town’s poorer residents in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The rooms are small and cramped, with basic furnishings and limited amenities, and give visitors a sense of the harsh realities of life for many of the town’s residents.
The museum also has a number of interactive exhibits, including a fishing simulator that allows visitors to experience what it’s like to work on a fishing boat, and a Victorian funfair that gives a glimpse into the town’s seaside entertainment in the past.