National Maritime Museum

Museum highlights

Last chance to visit Women of the RNLI

Celebrate 200 years of saving lives at sea at the National Maritime Museum – exhibition closes on 1 December

See Astronomy Photographer of the Year

See the world's greatest space photography at the National Maritime Museum

Discover the galleries

Travel the world in the National Maritime Museum's free galleries, exploring everywhere from the icy Arctic to the islands of the Pacific

Meet characters from history

Visit the National Maritime Museum every Saturday to discover a different character from history with their own fascinating story to tell

Listen to an audio guide

Follow tours of the National Maritime Museum on your phone. Listen online or download the free Smartify app to begin

Join a guided tour

Uncover the wonders of our collection during these daily events

Find more things to do

Epic tales of exploration, maritime treasures and family friendly galleries

Master of disguise

Discover the story behind this remarkable uniform, now on display in the Nelson, Navy, Nation gallery

Learn more and visit

Plan your visit

How to book

The National Maritime Museum is free, and you not need to book. However, if you would like to guarantee entry and receive updates before your visit, you are welcome to book free tickets online in advance.

Use the booking calendar to select your visit date and entry time, then select the number of tickets you require and click 'Add to basket'. Your tickets will be sent to you by email once you've completed your booking.

As well as our free galleries, we also host a number of special exhibitions throughout the year. Entry to the Museum is included with your exhibition tickets.

Book now

See all our tickets

Eat and drink

The Parkside Café is a bright and airy space at the National Maritime Museum with expansive views of Greenwich Royal Park. There is plenty of seating, both indoor and outdoor. Grab a hot or cold drink, and a selection of sandwiches and cakes - perfect for a picnic in the park.

The Great Map Café on the first floor of the National Maritime Museum is currently closed.

Eating and drinking in Greenwich

Shop

Find the perfect museum gift, from books and prints to models, toys and games. Visit us on site or shop online.

Shop online

Find the perfect print

Accessibility

Find useful information about facilities and access at the National Maritime Museum, including guidance for disabled visitors coming to any of our sites.

Find out more

Maps & audio guides

Download a free map to help guide you round the Museum. Dedicated audio guides are also available in different languages to help you make the most of your visit.

Download the map

pdf, 769.23 KB

Find an audio guide

Gallery closures

Essential improvements to the glass roof glazing of the National Maritime Museum are currently taking place, and will continue until Summer 2025.

The central court, Great Map and galleries beneath the glass roof will be closed during roof renovations. A recommended visitor route is in place to help guide you round the Museum's galleries and exhibitions.

See all closures

Tickets and Opening

Free entry

Book online

Open daily

10am-5pm

Greenwich Station
Cutty Sark DLR
Maze Hill Station

Greenwich Pier

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Saturday 15 February 2025 | 1.15pm-2.15pm

Free

National Maritime Museum

Exhibitions

Pirates

Explore the myth, discover the truth: get ready for a major new exhibition coming to the National Maritime Museum in 2025

29 March 2025 – 4 January 2026

Tickets on sale soon

National Maritime Museum

Stories

Anatomy of a habitable planet: Earth as you've never seen it before

Sergio Díaz Ruiz uses satellite imagery to explore climate change by creating an image of Earth as it might be analysed by a distant alien civilisation

A stitch in time: the secrets of textile conservation

A 19th century uniform with a dramatic history is on display at the National Maritime Museum. Come behind the scenes to discover the care that went into its conservation

Capturing history: Jack Lowe and the RNLI 

How one photographer’s quest to visit every lifeboat station shines a light on our maritime heritage

The nautical origins of everyday phrases

Ever heard that traffic was chock-a-block, been called a son of a gun, or told someone you like the cut of their jib? Learn the maritime origins of phrases you hear every day

The ship that never was

The story of a never-commissioned Second World War vessel

The lost chronometer: the timepiece that sailed with Charles Darwin and Sir John Franklin

Learn more about the marine chronometer that journeyed on board HMS Beagle before being lost at sea during Sir John Franklin's disastrous expedition

Who owns the ocean?

Are the oceans really free for all? Find out what could be done to protect marine environments – and who has the power to make it happen

What can shipwrecks tell us?

Time-capsules of their present and windows of our past, shipwrecks can offer new perspectives into life on board

Putting names to faces in the Challenger Expedition archives

Dr Rebecca Martin investigates the photograph albums from the Challenger Expedition, trying to recover the identities of the people the ship encountered on its global voyage

Our Ocean, Our Planet

Our Ocean, Our Planet is a new online space at Royal Museums Greenwich dedicated to exploring the climate crisis and our relationship with the ocean

The beautiful detail of hand-drawn maps

Plot a journey through four special maps in the National Maritime Museum collection

Search our stories

Search our digital collections, discover epic stories of sea, space and exploration, and get expert insight from our museum curators and specialists

Explore the collection

Royal Museums Greenwich holds over 2.5 million items. Search our digital collections or visit our library, archive and collections studio