Museum blog

You would not think there was time for many enjoyments on board one of the fastest ships in the world. However, Captain Richard Woodget (Cutty Sark's master 1885-1895) had some rather unusual pastimes. 

May 18th is International Museum Day, and this year the theme is Contested Histories. As part of the development of the new Tudor & Stuart Seafarers gallery (opening 2018 in the Exploration Wing), the National Maritime Museum is exploring multiple perspectives on the early history of North America. James Davey and Laura Humphreys explain the process behind incorporating Indigenous American voices into the gallery. 

Curator Pieter van der Merwe explores the Cornish credentials of Admiral William Bligh, best known as commander of the Bounty when part of its crew mutinied in the Pacific in 1789.  

This blog delves into the tragedy of the sinking of the HMS Eurydice, through Sir Edmund Verney's work, with a specific focus on the 281 men who lost their lives

Documentations Officer Claire Denham takes us behind the scenes at Cutty Sark, to give us an insight into the important daily research, documentation and maintenance work that keeps Cutty Sark preserved for many future generations to come. This month, we find out how the ship’s boats have fared over the years. 

Ask someone to name the most severe prison sites, and they are likely to suggest an island. Devil’s Island, Alcatraz, Robben Island all loom large in our imagination. But the actual history of prison islands is much less clear-cut. Katy Roscoe, Doctoral Candidate at the University of Leicester, argues that far from acting as a natural barrier, the sea leaked into every aspect of convicts daily lives. 

Guest authors Katharine and Mimi are in their second year at the Courtauld Institute of Art, studying the Conservation of Easel Paintings. They have completed two weeks of work experience over Easter at Royal Museums Greenwich, where they have been working across both the painting and paper conservation studios, examining and treating several works from the collection by the artist John Everett.