James Cook Museum - Cooktown

The James Cook Museum in Cooktown is a great place to spend a few hours and learn more about the seven weeks Captain Cook and his crew spent repairing the Endeavour. They have recovered one of the anchors and canons that were jettisoned from the ship in 1770 and these are displayed in the museum. The story of Captain Cook's interaction with the indigenous people is told from both perspectives - very interesting.

James Cook Museum is housed in a 19th century convent building with stunning views across the Endeavour River from the first floor verandah. The beautiful gardens contain some of the 170 species identified and named by Sir Joseph Banks while waiting for the ship to be repaired.

This museum also displays:

• items from the pupils and the sisters of the convent,
• stories from the gold rush in the region
• Chinese heritage of Cooktown.  
• history of the local families who settled here - the isolation and hardships they faced in the early days.
• Indigenous Gallery - culture and history of the Guugu Yimithiir people - with great artifacts displayed
• maritime history.

The museum gift shop has a very good range of merchandise - books, Cook memorabilia, collectables, postcards, clothing, and toys. The fee charged to look around this museum is worth every penny (in my opinion).