Name: National Maritime Museum
Address: Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF, UK
Telephone: 020 8858 4422
Rating: 4.6

Exploring British naval history, with a ship simulator, nautical oddities and interactive games.

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The National Maritime Museum was established by the National Maritime Museum Act of 1934.

Museum Establishment

The museum's creation was made possible by the generous donations of Sir James Caird, a prominent philanthropist.

Generous Donation

The museum was officially opened by King George VI on April 27, 1937, with his daughter Princess Elizabeth accompanying him.

Royal Opening

Like other publicly funded national museums in the UK, the National Maritime Museum has no general admission charge.

Admission

The museum is located in Greenwich, London, near the River Thames and is part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.

Location

National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum, residing in Greenwich, London, uniquely occupies buildings that were originally part of the Royal Hospital for Seamen, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Its collection extends beyond naval history to encompass the broader context of Britain's relationship with the sea, including exploration, trade, and migration. A fascinating, often overlooked aspect is its extensive collection of ship models, some dating back centuries, offering unparalleled insight into shipbuilding techniques and naval architecture. The museum also houses significant holdings related to polar exploration, including artifacts from expeditions to both the Arctic and Antarctic. Furthermore, its art collection features portraits of prominent naval figures and maritime scenes, providing a visual record of Britain's seafaring past. The Queen's House, an integral part of the museum complex, is a landmark of Inigo Jones's architectural genius and a striking example of early English Palladianism.

Introduction

The National Maritime Museum's maritime art collection encompasses British and 17th-century Dutch art, featuring over 65,000 prints, drawings, and watercolors from the 16th to 21st centuries. These works depict naval actions, portraits of people and ships, royal events, and seaports, including sketchbooks by naval artists and officers. The collection includes approximately 1,500 works on paper by Willem van de Velde the Elder and Younger, alongside extensive collections by James Gillray, John Brett, E. W. Cooke, James Tissot, James McNeill Whistler, and W. L. Wyllie. Preparatory drawings for the Painted Hall of the Greenwich Naval Hospital by James Thornhill are also held.

The museum's holdings of war art feature drawings and watercolors by Wren Gladys Reed and VAD naval nurse Rosemary Rutherford. The portrait miniature collection includes around 250 items from 1540 to 1850, with examples by Nicholas Hilliard, Samuel Cooper, Richard Cosway, and Sir William Ross, including sets of naval wives and children. The sculpture collection, comprising around 105 works, focuses on portraiture, including busts, statues, and reliefs. Noteworthy are sculptures depicting Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, including a life/death mask, and scientists connected with the Royal Observatory, such as a stone version of Flamsteed and a terracotta of Sir Isaac Newton by Roubiliac. 18th-century works include terracottas of Walter Raleigh, Francis Bacon, and Cromwell by Rysbrack.

Maritime Art Collection

The Queen's House, a former royal residence in Greenwich, is now part of the National Maritime Museum, displaying a substantial collection of marine paintings and portraits from the seventeenth to twentieth centuries. Originally commissioned by Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I, in 1616, and later Queen Henrietta Maria, the house stands on the grounds of the demolished Greenwich Palace. After a period of royal use, the Queen's House was integrated into the Royal Hospital for Seamen and later became a central part of the National Maritime Museum, established in 1934 and opened in 1937.

The building's architecture significantly influenced the layout of the Old Royal Naval College, ensuring the vista to the River Thames remained unobstructed. The Queen's House has undergone several restorations, including a controversial modernization in the 1990s and a more recent refurbishment completed in 2016, marking the 400th anniversary of its design. This last renovation included a ceiling decoration by Turner Prize winner Richard Wright, complementing Orazio Gentileschi's earlier work.

Throughout its history, the Queen's House has served various functions, including housing the Royal Naval Asylum and hosting significant historical events, such as Caroline of Brunswick's welcome to England in 1795. Today, it remains open to the public as a gallery, offering free admission and providing a unique glimpse into British maritime history and art.

Queen's House

The National Maritime Museum, as part of Royal Museums Greenwich, shares a close historical and geographical connection with the Royal Observatory. Both institutions reside within the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, reflecting Greenwich's long-standing association with the sea, navigation, and astronomical study. The museum's collection complements the Royal Observatory's historical significance, housing instruments for time-keeping and astronomy, which were crucial for navigation and directly linked to the Observatory's work in establishing Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian.

Founded in 1937, the National Maritime Museum owes its existence in part to the legacy of figures like Charles II, who established the Royal Observatory in 1675 to improve navigation. The museum's holdings include official public records and ship models that provide context to the Observatory's role in Britain's maritime history. The museum also possesses maritime art and manuscripts that reflect the historical period during which the Royal Observatory was actively contributing to advancements in astronomy and navigation.

Visitors exploring the National Maritime Museum can gain a broader understanding of how the Royal Observatory's scientific endeavors translated into practical applications for seafaring and global timekeeping. The museum's exhibitions, such as "Ships, Clocks & Stars," highlight the intertwined histories of maritime exploration, precision timekeeping, and astronomical observation, underscoring the Royal Observatory's lasting impact on the world of navigation.

Royal Observatory

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich stands as the United Kingdom's leading maritime museum, holding the most important collections globally on the history of Britain at sea. Its extensive holdings, comprising over two million items, include maritime art—both British and 17th-century Dutch—cartography, manuscripts with official public records, ship models and plans, and scientific and navigational instruments. The museum also houses instruments for time-keeping and astronomy, particularly significant given Greenwich's role as the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian since 1884.

The museum's collection features paintings and artifacts related to Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson and Captain James Cook, figures central to British maritime history. The museum aims to foster a greater understanding of British economic, cultural, social, political, and maritime history and its global consequences.

The National Maritime Museum awards the Caird Medal annually, honoring Sir James Caird, the museum's principal donor, to an individual who has done conspicuously important work in the field of the Museum's interests and is of a nature which involves communicating with the public. Additionally, the museum was part of a consortium that bid to purchase the RMS Titanic relics, intending to keep them together as a single exhibit in Belfast and Greenwich.

British Maritime History

As part of Royal Museums Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum shares a network with other significant sites in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. The museum's formation was enabled by the National Maritime Museum Act 1934 and owes its existence to the generous donations of Sir James Caird. King George VI inaugurated the museum in 1937, marking its official opening to the public.

The National Maritime Museum, a component of Royal Museums Greenwich, aims to enhance the understanding of British economic, cultural, social, political, and maritime history. Within the Royal Museums Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum also administers the Royal Observatory Greenwich, founded in 1675 by Charles II, which marks the Prime Meridian.

The National Maritime Museum is near the Queen’s House, also part of Royal Museums Greenwich, which displays the museum’s art collection, including works from the 17th century to the 21st century. Another venue associated with Royal Museums Greenwich is the Cutty Sark, a historical clipper ship situated in a dry berth near the museum. As part of Royal Museums Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum presents various exhibitions, including "Voyagers: Britons and the Sea" and "Traders: the East India Company and Asia".

Royal Museums Greenwich

The National Maritime Museum's Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre (PPMCC) in Kidbrooke serves as a vital offsite facility, housing approximately 70,000 items from the museum's extensive collection. While most of the library and archive collections are stored at the main museum in Greenwich, a significant portion resides at the PPMCC. Opened in 2018, this state-of-the-art conservation studio and storage facility offers a behind-the-scenes look at the museum's operations.

Access to the PPMCC is limited, primarily through pre-booked guided tours, providing a unique opportunity to explore hidden treasures usually away from public view. These tours offer insights into the work of the conservation and storage teams who care for the collections, showcasing the intersection of art, science, technology, and humanities. Specialist tours and Saturday Super Store Tours are among the options available.

The PPMCC also hosts school workshops, utilizing objects for evidence-based learning in a rarely-seen museum environment. The facility is easily accessible from central London by train or bus, with Kidbrooke station a short walk away. Limited parking is available, prioritizing visitors with disabilities, and pre-booking is essential. The PPMCC plays a crucial role in preserving and managing the National Maritime Museum's vast holdings, ensuring their long-term care and accessibility for research and public engagement.