The National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port is marking its 50th anniversary by turning the clocks back to 1976 for a special weekend, with day tickets priced at £1.95 for adults and £1.50 for children and concessions.
The event takes place on Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25, at the museum, which sits alongside the Manchester Ship Canal. Visitors will be able to explore the site's historic docks, boats and exhibits while paying the ticket prices from half a century ago.
Living History and Heritage Displays
During the anniversary weekend, families can enjoy living history experiences across the site, along with miniature steam engines, demonstrations and an exhibition featuring rare photographs and objects. Tours, trails and traditional canal crafts will also be available, giving younger visitors a chance to get involved while learning about the country's waterways heritage.
Lock and engine demonstrations will offer a glimpse into the workings of Britain's historic waterways, while the museum's dockside setting provides an opportunity to explore the buildings, boats and machinery that helped keep the canal network moving.
A Celebration of Canal History
Set within the historic docks at Ellesmere Port, the National Waterways Museum tells the story of Britain's canals and inland waterways, exploring how they helped shape the country's industrial past and connected communities through trade and transport. The museum is home to the nation's largest collection of heritage canal craft, along with working machinery and dockside buildings that offer insight into the lives of people who worked on the waterways.
Visitors can discover the engineering behind the canals, learn about the working lives of boat families and explore the technology that kept the waterways operating. The special event offers the chance not only to celebrate the museum's milestone birthday but also to discover how life on the waterways has changed over the past half-century.
