About Us
The Scottish Maritime Museum Trust is a Charity and a Company Limited by Guarantee, founded in 1983 to care for Scotland’s maritime collection and share its history. We run two sites:
The Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine is housed within the vast, glass-roofed Victorian Linthouse. This A listed ‘cathedral of engineering’ was formerly the Engine Shop of Alexander Stephen and Sons shipyard in Govan before being salvaged and relocated to Irvine in 1991.
The Scottish Maritime Museum in Dumbarton is located on the former site of the influential and innovative William Denny Shipyard and features the world’s first commercial ship testing facility, the Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank. The Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank opened in 1883, It allowed the engineers to find out how full-sized ships hulls would perform at sea.
| Our Purpose
To responsibly steward our sites in Irvine and Dumbarton and care for our collections with integrity, ensuring they remain accessible, inclusive, and sustainable for future generations while supporting culture as a source of wellbeing and empowerment. |
| Our Mission
To engage and connect the people and communities of Scotland with their rich maritime heritage—past, present, and future—through inclusive, inspiring experiences that support lifelong learning, personal wellbeing, cultural confidence, and a sense of belonging. |
| Our Vision
To shape the future of maritime heritage as a world-class museum rooted in local communities, empowering people through culture, and leading innovation, accessibility, and relevance on an international stage. |
| Our Aim
To inform, educate, and inspire—celebrating Scotland’s maritime legacy, its global impact, and its relevance today, while connecting all audiences to its diversity, local significance, and role in understanding environmental and climate challenges. |
Our Values
| Sharing knowledge
Empowering individuals and communities through accessible learning and maritime storytelling. |
| Inspiring people Creating meaningful experiences through the passion and dedication of our staff and volunteers. |
| Celebrating Scotland’s heritage Representing our maritime past with pride, through inclusive, world-class interpretation and engagement that respects local cultures and identities. |
| Caring for our collections Practising responsible stewardship through sustainable preservation and thoughtful growth. |
| Championing wellbeing and inclusion
Creating welcoming spaces and programmes that promote mental health, social connection, cultural confidence, and community resilience. |
| Acting for the planet
Using maritime heritage to build awareness of the climate emergency and lead by example in environmental sustainability. |
Fair Working Practices Statement
Scottish Maritime Museum Trust is committed to the Scottish Governments Fair Work First policy. We have adopted policies and statements which support the development of a positive and inclusive working environment and organisational culture where all the staff have the right to fair treatment, respect and continuous professional development.
These include:
- The Equality and Diversity in Employment Policy, inclusive of fair recruitment and selection practices, commitment to training and development of staff and internal promotion.
- Equal Pay Statement.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Statement and Health and Safety policy.
- Harassment and Bulling policy.
- Appropriate channels for an effective voice, such as staff appointed representatives, trade union recognition, staff forums and surveys.
- Supporting the Real Living Wage by providing fair pay for all.
- Stability of employment and hours of work and avoiding exploitative employment practices, including no use of zero-hours contracts.
- Creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace including flexible working arrangements where appropriate.
- Investment in workforce training and development opportunities and a commitment to Modern Apprenticeships and our ongoing partnership with Developing the Young Workforce and local employability programmes.
Further, the Museum will aim to fulfil the objectives above by working with potential suppliers and contractors to encourage compliance.
