Exhibitions and Events

Things to do in Whitehaven and surrounding area

Situated on the west coast of the Lake District, Whitehaven is proud to boast the largest quantity of original Georgian buildings in any UK town.

Whitehaven

Sir John Lowther developed the town in the 17th century, its expansion fuelled by mining and shipping. He was inspired by Christopher Wren and set out Whitehaven’s streets in a distinctive grid pattern. At the museum you can see plans of the original townscape.

Today Whitehaven is home to an attractive modern marina and a mix of high street and individual businesses, with an extensive coastline to explore.

Within Whitehaven town centre you can visit:

The Rum Story, an indoor attraction following the story of the rum trade
The fabulous 1920s Gaiety cinema showing mainstream and cult movies
A sports centre with extensive facilities
Whitehaven Civic Hall, which has a full programme of theatre, concerts and special events.

Things to do in the area

The Lake District National Park is a 20 minute drive away, and the beautiful lakes of Wastwater (Britain’s favourite view) and Ennerdale Water are both within a 40-minute drive
A pleasant 10-minute drive south of Whitehaven is the stunning beach of St Bees, with a promenade, beach café and walks to the RSPB nature reserve at St Bees Head
The picturesque fishing village of Ravenglass is further down the coast and well worth a visit
The Ravenglass and Eskdale narrow gauge railway runs into the fells and is a great way of seeing the stunning scenery
Historic Muncaster Castle has many family attractions including an owl centre, extensive gardens and special events
Sports fans can see professional rugby league in Whitehaven and karting at nearby Rowrah
Outdoor pursuits fans can do a range of land and water based activities at West Lakes Adventure in nearby Eskdale
Just outside Whitehaven is an indoor swimming pool and gym
The bustling market town of Cockermouth is around 25 minutes away
Around 40 minutes from Whitehaven is Keswick with its many attractions
Within an hour’s drive is Millom, home of the poet Norman Nicholson. You can find out more about him and the area at the Discovery Centre