The Captain Cook Birthplace Museum is situated in the beautiful grounds of Stewart Park, close to a granite vase that marks the site of the cottage where James Cook was born. It was opened on 27 October 1978, the 250th anniversary of the birth of James Cook.
The present-day purpose-built Museum replaced a small Captain Cook display formerly housed in a park lodge which was located at the entrance of the park.
In 1977 Middlesbrough Council decided to design and build the new museum as a tribute to James Cook. The foundation stone was laid in the following January and the building was completed in September 1978.
The Museum tells the story of Captain James Cook, from his early life in Marton, Great Ayton, Staithes and Whitby through his three great voyages of exploration to his tragic death in Hawaii in 1779.
By the mid-1780s, a few years after Cook’s death in Hawaii, the site of the birthplace cottage was in ruins. The new owner of the land, Bartholomew Rudd marked out the site of the demolished cottage in the yard of his new house, Marton Lodge.
When the estate was further developed in the mid-1850s by Henry Bolckow, who built Marton Hall, he marked the cottage site with a granite urn erected in 1858. Today this urn still stands in what is now Stewart Park, opened in 1928 as one of Middlesbrough’s public parks.
In 1978, on the 250th anniversary of Cook’s birth, Middlesbrough Council opened a purpose-built museum to celebrate the great explorer’s life and achievements.
A major refurbishment in 1997-98 seen the displays refreshed and updated to include interactive displays.
A small Arts Council grant in 2013 helped to refresh these displays further which had long since aged. The galleries were restored to tell Cook’s story chronologically and interactives were replaced with wider items from the Middlesbrough Museums collection.
A further £250,000 Government grant was awarded in 2017 which allowed for a major refurbishment of the first floor of the building which included a complete refit of the museum’s learning space, collection stores and the creation of a new gallery addition to display the museums Indigenous Australian Aboriginal collection.
Captain James Cook was a British naval officer, navigator, and explorer who made three voyages between 1768 and 1779. He is known for his explorations of Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Islands, as well as his contributions to cartography and navigation.
Early Life and Career
First Voyage to the Pacific (1768-1771)
Second Voyage to the Pacific (1772-1775)
Third Voyage to the Pacific (1776-1779)
Legacy
Captain James Cook's life and voyages continue to fascinate people around the world. His legacy as a skilled navigator,explorer, and scientist is undeniable, but his interactions with indigenous peoples raise important questions about the impact of European colonialism.