The Rum Story
The Rum Story
4
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The Rum Story is a visitor attraction and museum in Whitehaven, Cumbria. It presents the story of the rum trade and the creation of rum. It is located in an original 1785 trading shop and warehouses.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Philmex1
    Southampton, United Kingdom1,741 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sunday lunch at the Rum Story
    Really took us by surprise - we were expecting snacks on a Sunday lunchtime, but then found out the Rum Story did a Sunday lunch. Very impressed! A choice of meats served with two types of potato (mash & boiled), and three different types of vegetable and Yorkshire pudding. Staff were lovely! Would certainly consider eating there again.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written May 31, 2023
  • Peter C
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely little gem museum, 'The Story of Rum '
    This little gem of a Museum is well worth a visit. Even if you are not a rum drinker it is fascinating as well as educational. It tells the story of rum making right from the beginning up to today. There are three floors with video and interactive displays,with the original Jefferson's office still intact on the ground floor.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 1, 2023
  • Grant C
    6 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A good attraction to visit, especially if the weather is poor
    A fantastic location and a well designed attraction. Good story boards and use of AV displays. We ate in the cafe in the centre and it was very good. One disappointment however - when we came out from the exhibition into the shop I have since found out we should have been offered a small tot of rum. Alas, the lady on duty was engrossed in conversation with a friend and made no attempt to speak to us or offer us our wee dram. Pity :(
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 4, 2023
  • Jenny B
    Millom, United Kingdom16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful meal at the Rum Story Cafe, Whitehaven.
    Fantastic visit to the Rum Story Cafe today. Generous portions and the best steak and ale pie I have had in a long time. It's definitely worth a visit, quirky place, great customer service, and excellent food 👌
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 16, 2023
  • Nick W
    Swindon, United Kingdom51 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden Gem of a Museum in West Cumbria
    Really interesting museum in Whitehaven that tells the story of the towns connection to the importation of rum from the Caribbean. Really well laid out over several floors and educational including the story of the slave trade, rum making process, the Jefferson’s story, American prohibition and the connection to the Royal Navy. The staff were extremely friendly and welcoming. Certainly worth a visit if you are in West Cumbria and a great option if the weather is poor.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written January 21, 2024
  • johnhouston2
    Knaresborough, United Kingdom5,258 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a visit.
    Being situated in the old trading premises of the Jefferson family adds a certain touch of realism and poignancy to this exhibition, which is well worth a visit. This was our second visit and we found it just as interesting and informative as the first. The exhibition areas are spread over three floors and are very well put together.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 14, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles285 reviews
Excellent
134
Very good
114
Average
20
Poor
7
Terrible
10

purplecoconut17
Mauchline, UK40 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2014 • Friends
Popped into here on the way home from holiday, not really expecting all that much to be honest at a fiver. However couldn't have been proved more wrong. We were a bit confused when the Sat Nav told us we were at our destination as it's in the middle of town (due later we found out to being on the original cellars) and it's tucked back a tiny bit but don't despair it is there! Please note there is no parking on site but pay and display nearby, literally 5 minute walk tops and we were in 2.5 hours and only paid two quid parking was great. The welcome was great, you go into the shop (no reception) lady couldn't have been more helpful. There is loads for the kids to touch, hear and see, and adults too (sampling the rum especially!). Cafe was really nice, stock perhaps a little low but what we had was reasonably priced and yummy especially the rum baking. Clean and tidy toilets. Handy leaflet and for school trips they have people dress up :)
Written July 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

angela d
Workington, UK18 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2014 • Couples
Visited the rum story on a Sunday in Whitehaven while looking for somewhere to have a cup of tea.
Ordered a scone with my tea, this was rock hard, obviously not fresh and not good enough to eat. My money was returned.
I just want to say that if you think it worth while opening on a Sunday, you must have fresh cakes available, that scone was not make that day or the day before my. My estimation.
Written July 20, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Animalmad1311
Carlisle, UK146 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Worthwhile visit although not as big as we thought it was going to be. Interesting facts wish it could have been a bit more interactive and not so much reading as kids get bored reading boards.
Written June 1, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul E
Blackpool, UK23 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2014 • Friends
A simple quick lunch but the food was great and showed some care in its presentation . The cost was modest compared to more commercial ventures, and the tea (for one) was served in a pot sometimes claimed as adequate for two at other establishments.
The loos were clean and I liked the idea of asking for a voluntary donation for using them (particularly as they're accessible to the general public not coming into the museum)
Written May 21, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ChrisRoast
Lincoln, UK17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2014 • Couples
very informative place and history of the rum story of whitehaven,
a little gem of place hidden away
Written April 2, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amanda W
cumbria138 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2014 • Friends
We used to enjoy visiting The Rum Story café, but our last two visits have been disappointing. The choice of food has been reduced, there are no specials anymore - we were told it is a coffee shop now. Well with the amount of coffee shops in the town, they need to up there game. We should have known when we arrived that things have gone down hill, for a Sunday lunch time the place used to be busy, you would have been lucky to have got a table but not now we were the only ones in, but there had obviously been some people in before us tables had not been cleared. We ordered soup, which was only lukewarm, cheese on toast which looked very sorry for itself with not a single bit of greenery on the plate and a sausage baguette, hot sausage in a cold baguette. We were not asked once if everything was alright with our meals, although the staff were pleasant there was something lacking.
It is a shame as this place could be so much more and has been, we won't be going back as there are better alternatives.
Written February 16, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jascal
Beverley, UK122 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2014 • Friends
We enjoyed wandering around this exhibit on a wet day in the lakes. The exhibit was well presented and very interesting. We were a group of adults and most of information was on placards bit there were some dioramas that would interest kids I think.
Written February 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jodes777
Bournemouth, UK17 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We visited here one afternoon when the weather was a bit miserable! Definitely worth a look. Kept us entertained for over an hour. Very interesting to learn about the origins and production of rum. Entertaining stories about the appreciation of rum through the ages! Can't imagine it is very entertaining for kids although they do have some toys and puzzles as you go round. However as a young (kid free) couple we found it a worthwhile visit after a morning of hill walking! Also it's nice they allow dogs in the courtyard area as you go in. Highlight was probably tasting the rum at the end!
Written January 31, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Killahurtzdnb
Carlisle, UK19 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
I've been here loads before but nothing has changed at all so it's one of them where you only need to go once.

Cafe is far far overpriced for what is basically an afternoon tea menu.

Worse part of the rum story is the clock in the cafe area. What a boring part of my life that was, I'll never get that ten minutes back. Don't make the mistake of standing watching the different things move as there's no massive climax and you feel quite short changed.
Written December 23, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Charlie J
Charlie J
London, UK3 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2013 • Family
Staff not really that friendly. Also No under 16's are aloud in without an adult? Possibly a stereotypical view of teenagers from the management staff? Not all kids are Mischievous!
From previous visits it a nice museum with good food in the cafe. Bit of a shame about the age limit. Went to another establishment where they happily greeted us with a smile and let us in.
Written December 21, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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The Rum Story - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)