A group of people standing in a museum store. The store contains different boats from maritime history.
Event

UK Maritime Heritage Forum 2025

Sunday 19 – Tuesday 21 October

National Museum of Scotland

£200

About UK Maritime Heritage Forum 2025

This two-day networking and professional development event is for maritime museum and maritime heritage practitioners. 

Whether large museums or smaller volunteer-run heritage groups caring for maritime collections around the UK, all are welcome at the forum. 

This year's theme is "Staying Afloat, caring for and sharing our maritime heritage."

Presentations will be given on the following topics: 

  • Ships, shipyards and docksides - industrial conservation and preservation challenges
  • The Blue Economy - making maritime heritage commercially viable
  • Overcoming Sea Blindness - engaging with port communities
  • Dangers to our Maritime Heritage – how is your organisation tackling risks to your collections? 

The conference programme will be announced Summer 2025. 

Registration closes Thursday 11 September 2025. 

On the day

What's included? 

Conference fees include: 

  • a welcome drinks reception in the Playfair Library in the Old College, South Bridge, at the University of Edinburgh on Sun 19 Oct
  • a study visit to Trinity House or the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith
  • a conference dinner in the ballroom onboard the luxury floating hotel, former-Northern Lighthouse Board ship Fingal. 

Please note: The study visit to Trinity House Leith is limited to 30 people and will be on a first come basis at booking.

Hotels and accomodation

Fingal 10% discount

Fingal have offered a 10% discount on their Best Available Rate for any delegates that would like to stay on board. 

To book, email reservations@fingal.co.uk and let them know that you wish to book a cabin for the UK Maritime Heritage Forum. Please note that Fingal is berthed in Leith. 

Other hotels

Hotels close to National Museums Scotland include: 

  • Premier Inn Edinburgh City Centre (Lauriston Place)
  • Novotel City Centre (Lauriston Place)
  • Ibis Edinburgh (South Bridge)
  • Motel One Edinburgh Royal (Market Street) 

Accessibility requirements

If you have any mobility or access requirements, such as wheelchair or step-free access, please let us know when completing your booking.

You can also visit our accessibility page for general access information for the National Museum of Scotland. 

Contact us

If you have any other questions about the conference or registration, please email the conference administrator at st.enquiries@nms.ac.uk

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Header image credit: © National Maritime Museum Cornwall, 2024. ‘UK Maritime Heritage Forum in Falmouth 2024’. 

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