Essential Information

Location
Price Treasures Tour: £3.50 adults | All other tours and talks are free

The National Maritime Museum is a treasure trove of objects, stories and memories.

But with so much to see, where to begin? Our daily tours and gallery talks are the perfect way to discover the must-see highlights of the Museum, all led by our friendly and knowledgeable guides. 

Check out the details below to find out what's currently on offer, and get ready to embark on a voyage of discovery.

Treasures Tour

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A guide takes a tour group around the Museum

Explore some of the Museum’s most prized – and lesser-known – objects on this guided tour.  

Meet and greet a Fijian canoe; be chilled by tales of polar exploration; marvel at the oldest boat in our collection and learn about life at sea in the age of Nelson.

  • Timings: Tours run daily at 12pm and 2pm.
  • Duration: 50-60 minutes.
  • Meeting point: Information Desk, located by the Parkside Café on the ground floor of the National Maritime Museum.
  • Price: £3.50 for adults; £2.50 for students; £1.75 for children; free for Members.
  • Suitability: The tours are suitable for adults and children.
  • Audio headsets: You will be provided with headphones and an audio headset, which allow you to clearly hear the guide and adjust the volume if required. The headphones and headset will be collected at the end of the tour.
  • Tour size: Each tour has a maximum capacity of 25 people.
  • Accessibility: The tour passes through several galleries located on different floors of the Museum. Step-free access is available via lifts.

Book now

Want to take things at your own pace? The Treasures audio tour is a self-guided, audio version of the Treasures Tour. It is a great alternative if you aren't able to join a group or can't visit the Museum. Find out more about audio guides at the National Maritime Museum here.

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Entrance to the Pacific Encounters gallery featuring a crested wave

Gallery Favourites

From the secret lives of women in Nelson's Navy to Ponko the penguin, dive deeper into the stories within our collection during our free gallery talks. Where will your journey of discovery take you? 

  • Timings: Daily at 11am, 1pm and 3pm subject to availability – speak to staff at the Information Desk (located by the Parkside Café on the ground floor of the National Maritime Museum) if you are interested in joining a talk.
  • Duration: 15-25 minutes.
  • Location: Talks take place in various galleries around the Museum. Listen to the tannoy announcements, check the posters around the site or ask a member of our team for more information.
  • Price: Free. No booking is required.
  • Suitability: Suitable for adults and children.
  • Accessibility: All floors of the Museum are accessible via lifts.
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Volunteer tours and talks

Uncover some of the wonders of the past with our volunteer guides. 

  • Timings: Subject to availability – speak to staff at the Information Desk (located by the Parkside Café on the ground floor of the National Maritime Museum) for more information.
  • Location: Events take place in various galleries across the Museum.
  • Price: Free.
  • Suitability: Suitable for adults and children.
  • Accessibility: All floors of the Museum are accessible via lifts.

What’s On

Find more events at the National Maritime Museum

Sensory Sailors
Family fun

SENsory Sailors

Come along and enjoy this brand new sensory play session for children under 13 years with special educational needs
Once a month on Saturdays | 11am-12.30pm
Free | Pre-booking required
National Maritime Museum
Adults and children enjoying a storytelling session.
Family fun

Play Tuesdays

Bring your under 5 on a different adventure every week! Explore the Museum together through song, dance and stories
Term time Tuesdays | 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.00pm, 2.00pm
£4 per child and accompanying adult | Under 6 months free
National Maritime Museum
Image of a small proportion of the Sun, which is lit up in golden yellow at the surface and moves to darker colours away from the surface. A golden plume of a coronal mass ejection is coming out of the Sun and flowing parallel to it.
Exhibitions

Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition

See the world's greatest space photography at the National Maritime Museum
Open daily until summer 2025 | 10am-5pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
A man dressed in period sailor costume leads a tour of the National Maritime Museum, with kids and parents following behind
Talks and tours

Character Encounters at the National Maritime Museum

Visit the National Maritime Museum every Saturday to discover a different character from history with their own fascinating story to tell
Every Saturday
Free
National Maritime Museum
Close-up shot of a person's hands as they use a felt-tip pen to draw an intricate pattern on a small piece of wood
Workshops

Saturday Art Club

Join the weekly creative drop-in for young people aged 13-16 during term time at the National Maritime Museum
Saturdays from October 2024 - April 2025 | 10am-1pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
A group of four with adults and children participating in a craft.
Family fun

Safe Harbour

Safe Harbour is a series of free workshops created to provide a safe space for foster and adoptive families with children under 13 years
Monthly: Next date 29 March | 12.30pm - 2.30pm
Ticketed | Free
National Maritime Museum
The gold hilt of a sword against a dark fabric background. The outline of a human skull has been digitally superimposed on to the right side of the hilt, creating an unsettling central motif
Exhibitions

Pirates

Explore the myth, discover the truth: Pirates at the National Maritime Museum is now open
Open daily until 4 January 2026 | 10am-5pm
Adult: £15 | Student: £11.25 | Child: £7.50
National Maritime Museum
A young boy lifts the lid of a cardboard box during a craft activity at the National Maritime Museum
Family fun

Easter holidays at the National Maritime Museum

Join our range of fun family activities taking place at the National Maritime Museum this Easter
6-20 April 2025 | Activities every day
Free | Drop-in
National Maritime Museum
Star trails stretching above metal columns
Talks and tours | Member events

Flamsteed Lecture: Fantastic Binaries and How to Find Them

Did you know astronomers estimate that between a third and a half of all stars are in binaries? Join Dr Ingrid Pelisoli and discover more
Monday 14 April 2025 l 7:15pm
Flamsteed Members: FREE | Guests of Flamsteed Members: £15 | Royal Museums Greenwich Members: £12
National Maritime Museum
Blackbeard's treasure by Iszi Lawrence
Family fun | Member events

Members' Family Lecture: Blackbeard's Treasure

Join children’s author Iszi Lawrence as we explore her historically accurate pirate adventure for kids!
Saturday 26 April 2025 | 11.00am - 12.30pm
Free | Family Members only
National Maritime Museum
Family fun | Identity

LGBTQ+ Family Network

A safe space for local LGBTQ+ families to meet one another, get involved in creative activities for all ages and explore the stories within the collection
Next date: 17 May 2025 | 11am-1pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
A child holds her mother's arm as they both peer curiously at a small crab held in front of them
Events and festivals

World Ocean Day

A family-friendly celebration of our ocean at the National Maritime Museum
Saturday 7 June 2025
Free
National Maritime Museum
Events and festivals

Teachers' Evening 2025

Celebrate the end of term at the National Maritime Museum and find out about schools sessions, resources, CPD and project opportunities at all Royal Museums Greenwich sites.
Thursday 3 July 16:30 - 19:00
FREE for UK school teachers and educators
National Maritime Museum