Classic Boat Museum

Museum

The Classic Boat Museum in East Cowes houses a collection of historic boats and maritime artefacts, celebrating the Isle of Wight's deep connection with boat building and sailing. The museum occupies a waterfront building and displays a rotating collection of classic sailing dinghies, racing yachts, powerboats, and other vessels, many of which were designed and built on the island by craftsmen whose skills made Cowes a centre of boat building excellence. The Isle of Wight has been at the centre of British yachting since the early nineteenth century, when the Royal Yacht Squadron was established at Cowes Castle, and the museum tells the wider story of boat building and maritime innovation in the Solent area across two centuries. Exhibits include boats that have competed in Olympic Games, America's Cup challenges, and the Round the Island Race that circumnavigates the island each year and draws thousands of entries. The museum also covers the work of Saunders-Roe and other East Cowes manufacturers that produced flying boats, hovercraft, and military vessels during the twentieth century. Admission is charged. The museum is open during the season and is particularly busy during Cowes Week. It is a modest but genuinely worthwhile attraction for anyone interested in maritime heritage, boat design, and the island's industrial and sailing history.