RK21BH Museum of Whitby jet by W Hamond in the harbour town of Whitby in North Yorkshire,England

martin berry/Alamy

Museum of Whitby Jet

Whitby


Housed inside a 1901 chapel, this small museum has created a temple to Whitby jet – one of the town’s most prized exports, a gothic icon, and a favourite gem of Queen Victoria. The exhibition explores how jet is formed over millions of years on the Yorkshire coast and has historically been turned into jewellery. The displays of 19th-century Whitby jet curios are particularly fascinating if you’re a fan. Beyond the museum lies a shop and Albert’s Eatery (mains £5-16), specialising in local seafood.