Custom House Visitor Centre

The Custom House is open 7 days a week 10am - 5pm. Covid restrictions apply

From Wednesday 25 August until Friday 27 August, there will not be access to the exhibition rooms at the Custom House, as they are being prepared for the temporary exhibition ‘Recalibration’.

The Custom House Visitor Centre is located on Exeter's historic quayside and occupies one of the most historic buildings on the waterfront. This attraction has been awarded with the 'Good to Go' accreditation.

It houses lively displays, illustrations and artefacts which bring the history and development of Exeter’s Quayside to life. As well as models and items from the cloth industry such as “tenter hooks and tillet blocks”, an exciting audiovisual presentation “Exeter, 2000 years of history” highlights Exeter’s history from Roman times until today.

Throughout the year the Custom House hosts a variety of arts and cultural events and activities including temporary exhibitions. Since 2019, the centre has been a literature hub for Quay Words, with an exciting programme that explores stories and writing. To find out more visit Quay Words at Exeter Custom House | Literature Works.

Last September saw the 'Recalibration' exhibition of artworks by Marcus Vergette, re-evaluating our relationship with the natural world.

This exhibition was curated by the environmental arts organisation Honeyscribe, who are one of our cultural partners and who are planning a series of events in 2022

To find out more about their work visit www.honeyscribe.org.

Information is primarily focused on the Quayside, the river Exe and the Historic Ship Canal. Information is also available for the wider city area to help make your visit to Exeter as enjoyable as possible. The Centre stocks information on where to visit, activities and events in the local area, as well as interesting souvenirs of Exeter, including replica maps, local pottery and a selection of heritage books. 

The Custom House is also the starting point for  the ‘Exeter Historic Quay’ tour by Exeter’s Red Coat Guides.

Tickets for various events throughout the city can be purchased from the Exeter Corn Exchange Box Office on Fore Street.

 Opening Hours

April - October
Daily: 10am to 5pm

The Centre may close for lunch 1pm - 1.45pm

November - March
Thursday - Sunday: 11 to 4pm

Admission: Free

Covid-19 Restrictions

We are currently following the Governments guidance with respect to the Coronavrus pandemic. Please observe our clearly displayed Covid-safe guidance while visiting us. If unsure ask a member of staff.