The Box, Plymouth

The Box is Plymouth’s museum, art gallery and archive, on Tavistock Place a short walk from the city centre. It is free to enter, it fills a wet day easily, and it is the best single place to get a feel for the city’s connection with the sea.

What you will see

The permanent galleries include Port of Plymouth, which tells the story of the city and the sea, and 100 Journeys, covering voyages that began in Plymouth. The Figureheads gallery shows 14 ship’s figureheads in a suspended display. The Mammoth gallery covers the natural world, and Active Archives lets visitors look at items drawn from the archive collections. The Media Lab explores film and photographic heritage, and the Cottonian Research Room is a quiet space for research that must be reserved in advance.

Separate ticketed exhibitions run through the year. These need booking ahead; the permanent galleries do not. Check the website for what is on during your dates.

How long to allow

The museum gives its own guide: about an hour for one gallery or exhibition in detail, two hours for two or three spaces plus a stop in the Kitchen & Bar, and half a day to see everything and visit the shop. The St Luke’s church gallery sits opposite the main building on Tavistock Place.

Families, facilities and access

Family workshops and activities run regularly, including art sessions for 1 to 4 year olds, so check the families page before you go. Toilets are on each floor, with accessible toilets, a Changing Places facility and baby change on the ground floor. Lockers cost £1 each. Food and drink are not permitted in the galleries, though you can bring a picnic and eat on the steps between the main entrance and shop or outside on Tavistock Place.

The main entrance on Tavistock Place has step-free access, and the main lift is beside the Welcome Desk. Two further lifts can take flatbed wheelchairs. One mobility scooter and four wheelchairs are available to borrow. Only guide and service dogs are allowed inside.

Getting there and parking

The Box is at Tavistock Place, Plymouth, PL4 8AX. It is about a five-minute walk from Drake Circus shopping mall and the city centre, and a 15-minute walk from the railway station. Buses run to Royal Parade, around 10 minutes on foot, and some routes stop on North Hill opposite. Park and Ride also serves Royal Parade. Plymouth Coach Station is a 10-minute walk away.

If you drive, the nearest car park is Regent Street, with Drake Circus close by. Spaces on Tavistock Place are for disabled visitors.

Nearby

Plymouth National Marine Aquarium is under a mile away on the Barbican side of the city, and the whole of Plymouth is easy to cover from here. Combine the museum with a morning on the waterfront for a full city day.

Plan your stay

Apartments, cottages and hotel rooms around the Barbican and Mount Batten are listed on the Plymouth page, within easy reach of The Box.