National Maritime Museum - Royal Museums Greenwich

From bustling dockyards to ferocious sea battles, the gallery brings to life the tumultuous 18th century, exploring how the Royal Navy shaped everyday lives as it became a central part of society and turned sea-faring heroes into national celebrities.

Journeying from the Glorious Revolution of 1688 to the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, Nelson, Navy, Nation brings together over 250 star objects from the Museum’s collections, from the sailor’s shoes worn to impress on shore leave and love tokens sent to sweethearts, to a fiendish seven-barrelled volley gun and an amputation knife and bullet forceps. Discover what made men join up, how they lived and what kept them in line; and how the Navy loomed large in all areas of the popular imagination, from caricatures to keepsakes and collectables.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Where

National Maritime Museum

Website

http://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/nelson-navy-nation/about

This gallery is about the movement of people, goods and ideas across and around the Atlantic Ocean from the 17th century to the 19th century.

The connections created by these movements changed the lives of people on three continents, profoundly affecting their cultures and societies and shaping the world we live in today.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/atlantic-worlds

As part of the National Maritime Museum’s commemoration of World War One this new gallery explores the naval and maritime dimensions of that conflict.

The horrors of the Western Front have long dominated our understanding of those years, and yet the war at sea was fought on an epic scale and with terrible human loss.

Forgotten Fighters foregrounds the personal stories of those who participated through a wide range of objects including weaponry, photographs, medals and ship models; in a gallery which takes visitors from the heroism of merchant mariners to the shattering realities of naval battle, and from the Falkland Islands and the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and the North Sea.

Where

National Maritime Museum

Admission

Normal admission charges apply.

Website

http://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/events/forgotten-fighters

Set in the heart of the new Sammy Ofer Wing, Voyagers tells the story of Britain and the sea, illustrating the contemporary significance of maritime histories and the personal stories of our island nation.

The gallery, designed by Real Studios, contains over 200 objects representing the extraordinary depth and range of the Museum’s collection. Voyagers also features a dynamic audio-visual installation created by The Light Surgeons, using bespoke software developed by Flightphase.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/voyagers

Traders: the East India Company and Asia is a permanent gallery exploring Britain’s maritime trade with Asia, focusing on the role played by the East India Company.

For over 250 years, the East India Company uniquely shaped trade between Britain and Asia. The gallery explores the influence of Company trade and power, tracing the changing relationships between Britain and Asia that this brought about.

This trade involved key commodities, different locations and many people. It had consequences that changed Britain and the world and still affect us today.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/traders

We are delighted to announce that thanks to the generosity of many individuals, the fundraising appeal to buy Yinka Shonibare, MBE’s sculpture Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle for the National Maritime Museum and ensure it remains on permanent display has been a success.

The work, which is a scaled down replica of HMS Victory, now has a permanent new home outside the recently opened Sammy Ofer Wing.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/nelsons-ship-in-a-bottle

The Great Map provides a space at the centre of the Museum where people can gather, delve deeper into our collections, and join in with events and celebrations. This multi-sensory experience is especially suitable for families.

Walk across the map’s surface, and use a touch-screen tablet to uncover stories of female pirates, Scott’s Antarctic expedition and many more. Understand from live data the currents and winds that drive vessels and people across the world’s oceans and seas.

Have fun on The Great Map playing games with your friends and family. With five games to choose from there is a game for everyone. Pick a card and explore the world as a submarine or build bridges across continents!

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Website

http://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/the-great-map

Our new gallery dedicated to our younger visitors. Board a pirate ship, stoke the fire of a steamship, navigate an ice-breaker, and more, all under one roof.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

Marking the centenary of the Battle of Jutland, this new display presents the compelling story of the ships, technology, strategy and impact of the battle on both the men who fought and their families. 'Jutland 1916' places the battle within the wider context of the First World War, and examines the action itself through audio-visual content created with the grandson of Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet. The gallery also includes material from the Deutsches Marinemuseum and the Bundesarchiv.

Suitable for

• Any age

Website

http://www.rmg.co.uk/see-do/we-recommend/attractions/jutland-1916-ww1s-greatest-sea-battle