Stories

The 'golden age' of piracy

The so-called 'golden age' of piracy lasted for less than 50 years - but its history has shaped centuries of pirate stories and stereotypes

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Benjamin Lawler, aged 8, and his brother Joshua, 10, are just beginning to discover the myriad wonders of the cosmos. Yet despite their youth, they have already demonstrated remarkable skill. Tap the arrows for more great videos.

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Daring, dedication and an eye for detail – see how the artist Willem Van de Velde the Elder risked his life to record naval battles as they happened.

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Curator Claire Warrior and polar explorer Iain Rudkin warm up with a relic from our polar past. How is polar exploration changing today?

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Dancer, educator, heavy metal fan and astrophotographer: go behind the lens with Monika Deviat, winner of the Aurorae category in Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023

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With its array of colours, striking design and text, it’s hard not to be taken in by this vibrant tapestry. Feeling Blue is a brand-new commission from Royal Museums Greenwich, created by multidisciplinary artist Alberta Whittle and Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh.

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See how astronomy photographer Andrea Vanoni captured his remarkable 'mosaic' image of the Moon, part of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2022.

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From perilous refugee crossings to black history and identity, explore the different meanings contained in artist Kehinde Wiley's Ship of Fools.

Maritime history

What happened to the crew of Erebus and Terror?

Sir John Franklin's final voyage in 1845 in HMS Erebus and HMS Terror became the worst disaster in the history of British polar exploration

The Shipping Forecast

The Shipping Forecast was first broadcast on the BBC in 1925. Explore the history of the forecast with the National Maritime Museum, and discover objects connected with the power of our ocean

Master of disguise: how a Navy sailor escaped a Napoleonic prison

Discover the true story of Charles Hare, the 19th-century midshipman who used a French officer's uniform to pull off a daring prison break

Windrush histories: memories of moving to the UK

Shirley Fox shares her memories of moving to the UK, in a special oral history marking 75 years since the Empire Windrush's arrival in Britain

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

Researching queer histories: a fresh look at 'female sailors'

Queer History Club researcher Ema explores the lives of people raised as women who lived and sailed as men in the 19th century

Knots: measuring speed at sea

You've most probably heard the term ‘knots’ referring to the unit in which a ship’s speed is measured. Learn more about the origin of the term and how knots are measured.

What happened to the crew of Erebus and Terror?

Sir John Franklin's final voyage in 1845 in HMS Erebus and HMS Terror became the worst disaster in the history of British polar exploration

The Shipping Forecast

The Shipping Forecast was first broadcast on the BBC in 1925. Explore the history of the forecast with the National Maritime Museum, and discover objects connected with the power of our ocean

Master of disguise: how a Navy sailor escaped a Napoleonic prison

Discover the true story of Charles Hare, the 19th-century midshipman who used a French officer's uniform to pull off a daring prison break

Space and astronomy

History of the Great Equatorial Telescope

The Great Equatorial Telescope at the Royal Observatory kept Britain at the forefront of astrophysics and greatly expanded our knowledge of stars

Space and astronomy highlights in 2025

What's worth looking up for in 2025? Discover this year's must-see moments with Royal Observatory astronomers

The Sun and the solstice

Find out how the position of the Sun determines the longest and shortest days of the year in this special Royal Observatory Greenwich Illuminates extract

The new space race: a high-stakes competition of politics and power

Competition between the USA, China and Russia will have consequences for all of us here on Earth. But how is this 21st century space race different to the last one?

Artemis Programme: what you need to know about NASA’s Moon missions

NASA's Artemis missions aim to land the first woman and person of colour on the Moon, create a lunar base, and lay the groundwork for a future trip to Mars!

Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) Mission: All you need to know

How habitable are Jupiter's icy moons? Why is the Solar System's largest moon so unique? How did Jupiter, and other gas giant planets, form? Find out how the European Space Agency's groundbreaking JUICE mission will answer these questions and more.

Finding community through astrophotography

Sophie Paulin and Tom Williams struck up a friendship in an online astrophotography forum. Discover how they combined their expertise to win a prize in Astronomy Photographer of the Year

History of the Great Equatorial Telescope

The Great Equatorial Telescope at the Royal Observatory kept Britain at the forefront of astrophysics and greatly expanded our knowledge of stars

Art and culture

Reframing Black history: Joseph Ijoyemi and the Atlantic Worlds gallery

From resilience to resistance, two new paintings in the Atlantic Worlds gallery at the National Maritime Museum celebrate the history of pre-colonial Africa

Zeenat Mahal: the exiled queen

Senior curator Victoria Lane explores the stories behind a newly acquired miniature of the last Mughal Empress

Beneath the blue: Alberta Whittle on the making of Feeling Blue

Artist Alberta Whittle shares the inspiration behind Feeling Blue, a tapestry created in collaboration with Dovecot Studios

A Sea of Drawings: the art of the Van de Veldes

Why do artists draw, and what can their sketches teach us about their skills and techniques? Take a closer look with the unique Van de Velde drawings collection

Unfolding the past: Elgin Cleckley and the Atlantic Worlds gallery

Through colour and cardboard, a contemporary artwork at the National Maritime Museum shifts perspectives on the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans

Reframing Black history: Joseph Ijoyemi and the Atlantic Worlds gallery

From resilience to resistance, two new paintings in the Atlantic Worlds gallery at the National Maritime Museum celebrate the history of pre-colonial Africa

Time

Time before Greenwich Mean Time: the confusing case of the traveller's watch

Before time became standardised, different areas of the country all kept their own 'local time'. This gold traveller's watch with two minute hands shows how tricky that could be

The surprising history of the Greenwich Time Lady

Discover the story behind the media sensation Ruth Belville, who brought the correct time from the Royal Observatory to London for almost 50 years.

What exactly is Greenwich Mean Time?

How did local clock time in Greenwich change the world?

Time before Greenwich Mean Time: the confusing case of the traveller's watch

Before time became standardised, different areas of the country all kept their own 'local time'. This gold traveller's watch with two minute hands shows how tricky that could be

The surprising history of the Greenwich Time Lady

Discover the story behind the media sensation Ruth Belville, who brought the correct time from the Royal Observatory to London for almost 50 years.

The ocean

The peoples of the Pacific: on the 'front line' of climate change

What is the impact of global change change on Pacific communities? And what should the global response be when a person’s homeland is literally ‘going under’?

Pollution in the River Thames: a history

Lifeline, water source, sewer – follow the murky history of London's relationship with the River Thames

Why satellites are critical to fighting climate change

The polar ice sheets are melting six times faster than the 1990s. But thanks to earth observation satellites, we can at least measure the effect that climate change is having

Is Venice flooding getting worse?

Venice has always been at risk of flooding. But with climate change causing more damaging storms more often, is the future of this historic city under threat?

The peoples of the Pacific: on the 'front line' of climate change

What is the impact of global change change on Pacific communities? And what should the global response be when a person’s homeland is literally ‘going under’?