Poole Old Lifeboat Museum & Shop

Housing one of Poole's historic lifeboats, Thomas Kirk Wright, the old boathouse and souvenir shop at Fisherman's Dock at the end of Poole Quay offers the public a close-up view of the lifeboat and the history that surrounds it.  The old lifeboat station was Poole's serving lifeboat station from 1882 to 1989, when a new station was opened by the Poole Lifting Bridge at the other end of the quay. The old boathouse then became a museum.  The Thomas Kirk Wright (1939-62) was one of the 'Dunkirk Little Ships'. On 28 May 1940 she sailed from Poole to Ramsgate to join the rescue flotilla, and was the first of 19 lifeboats to reach Dunkirk on 30 May 1940.  The shop in the Old Boathouse sells RNLI memorabilia, cards, gifts, clothing and nautical-themed items. Proceeds from the gift shop itself will go directly to the RNLI in order to save lives at sea.  The museum has undergone a refurbishment and along with the shop is open daily between April and early December (subject to availability of volunteer staff) 10.30am-4pm and admission is free. It will be closed from 3rd December until April, but can always open up for specific requests.