It opened to the public in July 1994. Before April 2005 it was known as
Hartlepool Historic Quay. The museum was built by
Teesside Development Corporation as part of the economic regeneration of old industrial sites of
Cleveland, on the derelict docks that were formerly used for industries such as shipbuilding and as timber yards etc. Between 2005 and 2016 it was known as '''Hartlepool's Maritime Experience'''. In June 2016 operation of the site was taken over from the local council by the
National Museum of the Royal Navy, and it was rebranded as NMRN Hartlepool. The PS
Wingfield Castle, preserved at the Museum of Hartlepool is a floating exhibit and cafe. There are hundreds of other exhibits in the museum charting the history of the town from prehistoric times right up to the present day. One of the most popular features is the description of the
Hartlepool monkey legend. Others include a full size
coble boat, a lighthouse, a shell from the
Bombardment of Hartlepool and many ships' models and engine displays. The site saw improvements in 2006/2007 including a renewed Fighting Ships which is an audio/visual tour of a warship. There is now a new character which is Jim Henshaw, a young powder monkey. include an HMS
Trincomalee Exhibition, Viewing Balcony overlooking HMS
Trincomalee, upgrading and re-design of the Maritime Adventure Centre and the restoration of PS
Wingfield Castle. == References ==