Top things to do at Cutty Sark

From the dizzy height of the main mast to the surprises below deck, step aboard and discover the best Cutty Sark has to offer.

The beautiful ship in the heart of Greenwich is open all year round, and visitors are free to explore all areas of the ship.

Not sure where to start? Check out the highlights below to make the most of your day out. When you're ready to book, click here.

3 top tips

Take the boat to Greenwich and arrive right outside Cutty Sark in true maritime style! It's less than 30 minutes from the Tower of London to Greenwich Pier using Uber Boats by Thames Clippers, with boats disembarking right outside the historic ship.

Look out for the Cutty Sark characters, especially if you're visiting with kids. These colourful characters can be found wandering the ship every weekend and throughout the school holidays. Talks are free for all visitors.

Have a chat with the shipkeepers. These dedicated craftspeople are committed to preserving Cutty Sark for future generations - and if you time your visit right, you can meet them too.

Walk the main deck

It takes hours of work from our experienced shipkeepers to keep the main deck looking as fresh and clean as it does. It wouldn't always have been this way...

During Cutty Sark's days at sea, pigs and chickens would have been kept in pens on deck, with crew responsible for mucking them out. As for the toilets, well... because there was no flushing water, sailors would have simply used salt water to flush everything into the sea!

Enjoy the view

Enjoy stunning views across the River Thames. Look out at the London skyline, spot the landmarks spread around you and snap that all-important picture with the deck and rigging surrounding you.

Climb the rigging

For the first time since the ship's arrival in Greenwich in 1954, visitors can climb the rigging of Cutty Sark and get a taste of what it would have been like to sail the historic ship.

Starting with a briefing underneath the ship’s beautiful hull, those brave enough to take on the challenge head up to the Main Deck and climb onto the ship’s 'ratlines' (rope ladders).

From here you can make your way up into the rigging, just as hundreds of sailors did during Cutty Sark’s long and fabled career at sea. Book now for a unique London adventure.

Discover the history of the fastest ship of its day

Step back in time and voyage through more than 150 years of seafaring history. Uncover tales of life on board, steer Cutty Sark from Sydney to London, and learn how the ship set sail through hands-on exhibits. Historic photographs, films and interactive ship plans help bring the famous tea clipper’s story to life.

Take the helm

With the ship's wheel in your hands and the miles of rigging shivering in the breeze above your head, this is the place where dreams of setting sail come alive.

The wheel itself was restored in the run up to the opening of Cutty Sark in 1957 by a team of talented woodworkers, and the steering mechanism is one of the many original features preserved on board.

Go on a family adventure

Cutty Sark is a fantastic day out with the kids. Explore the family-friendly interactive displays and get a taste of life at sea.

Regular events on board help to make the voyage even more action-packed. From craft workshops and shanty singing to character actors and toddler time, there's always something new to discover. And remember, family membership gives you year-round entry for free!

Explore beneath the ship

Reach up and touch the copper hull of the ship that made Cutty Sark the fastest of its day. The Dry Dock is one of the most dramatic locations in London, with the ship hovering in mid-air above you. Did you know you can even hire this space for parties?

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Enjoy afternoon tea under the hull

Indulge in a special afternoon tea sitting directly beneath Cutty Sark's iconic copper-clad hull. Choose from a selection of teas, sandwiches and sweet treats as you marvel at the historic engineering of the fastest ship of its day.

All table bookings include entry to the ship, so you can explore Cutty Sark at your leisure before or after your meal.

Celebrate Cutty Sark's royal connections

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was Patron of Cutty Sark for more than 70 years, and was instrumental in the ship coming to Greenwich in 1954. In an area steeped in royal and maritime history, Cutty Sark takes pride of place.

Rummage through Cutty Sark’s cargo

Tea, wool and even pianos were just some of the items carried on board Cutty Sark.

Wander among the stacks of tea chests in the Lower Hold and venture up to the ‘Tween Deck to discover how many wool bales the ship transported on a single voyage (hint: it's enough to make more than 1.2 million jumpers!).

Visit the cabins

Can you imagine sleeping here in rough seas? Discover more what Cutty Sark's crew did when they weren't risking their lives on deck.

Meet the Cutty Sark characters

Meet colourful characters from Cutty Sark’s past and hear astonishing stories about life at sea in the age of sail. Chat to the ship’s owner Jock Willis, the ship’s cook or meet Captain Woodget himself, Cutty Sark’s longest serving master. Who knows? He may even make you one of his crew...

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See the Cutty Sark figurehead

'Nannie' the witch is Cutty Sark's figurehead. Just like the ship itself, she takes her name from the Robert Burns poem Tam O'Shanter.

In the poem, Tam the farmer is chased by a witch called Nannie. Nannie is dressed only in a ‘cutty sark’ - an archaic Scottish word meaning a short nightdress.

The figurehead you can see on the ship today is a new commission, made by ship’s figurehead carver Andy Peters and designed to reflect the beauty of the original ship designs.

Follow the Cutty Sark audio guide

Listen to thrilling tales from Cutty Sark's history, learn about the lives of its captains and crews – and discover exactly how Cutty Sark became the fastest ship of its day. The audio guide is free to download and follow, and you can even listen again when you get home. Find the tour online via our audio partners Smartify.

Come face to face with our fantastic figureheads

Visit the Long John Silver Figurehead collection and spot the literary, historic and political figures depicted in the world's largest Merchant Navy figurehead collection. Learn too all about the man behind the collection, and how he earned his piratical nickname...