Ships and boats

A whistle for a life: surviving the Titanic tragedy

Meet steward Cecil and passenger Lillian, two young people whose fates intertwined during the sinking of the Titanic
Life at sea

The pirate hunter's cup

What does a carved coconut shell have to do with one of the most deadly pirates in history? Dr Robert Blyth follows the story of Bartholomew Roberts, and the 'forgotten pirate hunter' Captain Chaloner Ogle
Life at sea

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

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Life at sea

Gain a fascinating insight into the lives of sailors and seafarers throughout history.

Silver coin depicting Treasure Island character Long John Silver in a cocked hat with a parrot on his shoulder

Pirates: fact or fiction?

From buried treasure to walking the plank, how much of what we think we know about pirates is really true?
Drawing of two women dressed as men

Who were Anne Bonny and Mary Read?

What do we really know about the notorious pirate duo, and how have later accounts shaped our perception of female pirates?
A button on the cuff of a military uniform, showing an imperial eagle with an eye symbol above.

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
Painting of the bow of a sailing ship looking out on a calm sea with a three masted sailing ship in the distance. Three men are on board the closer ship, with a sail above them. One man is looking through binoculars at the other ship. The sky is cloudy in the background.

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
A photographer stands in front of an RNLI orange lifeboat holding an Edwardian camera on a tripod

Capturing history: Jack Lowe and the RNLI 

How one photographer’s quest to visit every lifeboat station shines a light on our maritime heritage
Engraving of a person known as Mary Anne Talbot, a 'female sailor' in disguise

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
Drawing of two women dressed as men

The women who went to sea – dressed as men

Barred from the seafaring life, women had to disguise themselves as men if they wanted to experience the high seas - and brave the consequences of being found out
Cathryn Spain stands by the River Thames

Making Waves: Cathryn Spain

Meet Senior Harbour Master Cathryn Spain, who oversees navigational safety on the River Thames
Melissa Reid surfing

Making Waves: Melissa Reid

Meet Melissa Reid, Paralympic medallist, triple surfing world champion and ocean advocate
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Ships and boats

From groundbreaking designs to doomed voyages, discover remarkable vessels from history.

Black and white illustration showing the sinking of the Titanic, with lifeboats in the foreground attempting to row away from the sinking vessel

A whistle for a life: surviving the Titanic tragedy

Meet steward Cecil and passenger Lillian, two young people whose fates intertwined during the sinking of the Titanic
Rigging on Cutty Sark, with long lengths of rope in pulley systems, looking off the edge of the ship towards the Greenwich foot tunnel

Cordage: its origins, construction, properties and uses in ships

Learn more about cordage, also known as rope, including the different fibres used to make cordage and the types of rope most commonly used in sailing ships
Image of two large spools of thin rope

How to make a log line

Learn how to make your own log line and measure speed in knots!
Image of a log and line, with string on a reel with a wooden triangle shape on the end

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.
Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee Review at Spithead, 26 June 1897

Reviewing the fleet

Material from the printed and manuscript collections of the Caird Library and Archive offers a window to the grand naval spectacles of the past
A slightly distant starboard side view, taken from ahead of the beam, of the Orient Line cruise ship Ormonde (1917)

The ships of the Windrush generation

The Empire Windrush wasn't the only ship to carry Caribbean passengers to the UK. Find out more about the vessels and people that helped to shape modern Britain
Crossing the line - man crawling through pipe

Crossing the line

Time at sea is by its very nature isolating, and even on a very short voyage a strong sense of community, albeit a temporary one, is often created. Traditions, ritual and celebrations are an important part of ensuring unity and staving off boredom.
A print of scientific research ship HMS Challenger under sail, with icebergs in the background

HMS Challenger: a trailblazer for modern ocean science

150 years ago, HMS Challenger departed England on a quest to explore the world’s oceans. Its impact is still felt today
Sailing ship run aground with boats helping people in the water

The sinking of HMS Gloucester

Disputes, disaster and destruction: uncover the events that led to the wrecking of the 17th century warship
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War and conflict

Explore stories of maritime conflict and defining figures associated with Britain's naval history.

A painting of the ship HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar with seafarers being tossed around in the churning waves below

Turner's 'The Battle of Trafalgar': a maligned masterpiece?

J.M.W. Turner's vast naval scene is a treasure of the Royal Museums Greenwich collection, but why was it so controversial when it was unveiled in 1824?
A button on the cuff of a military uniform, showing an imperial eagle with an eye symbol above.

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
A 19th century French uniform on display in a mannequin. The uniform includes a coat and tall hat with a feather jutting out of the top

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
Painting of landing craft going in to the beaches during the D-Day invasion of Normandy

D-Day and the Royal Navy: remembering the role of Britain's maritime forces

The largest amphibious invasion of the Second World War took place on 6 June 1944. Curator Andrew Choong Han Lin explores how the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy supported the D-Day landings
P&O cruise ship Canberra pictured at sea during the Falklands conflict, with a military helicopter hovering above

SS Canberra in the Falklands – recollections from 'The Great White Whale'

P&O assistant purser Sally Goodman recalls her service on board the cruise liner that became a symbol of the Falklands conflict
Black and white photograph showing two ships at sea. One is refuelling the other

The Merchant Navy's role in the Falklands conflict

Seafarers, volunteers and nursing officers share their experiences during the Falklands conflict as part of a National Maritime Museum oral history project
Black and white photograph showing three ships side by side at sea. The ship in the middle is a supply ship, the two either side are hospital ships painted white with a red cross on the side

From cruise ship to floating hospital – the SS Uganda during the Falklands conflict

Ship's purser Alison Harris shares her memories of the Falklands conflict, and how her ship was transformed into a floating hospital
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The log of the prize Pugliese 1809-1810

This blog looks at an illustrated log recently added to the collection of papers from the naval career of Admiral Sir Watkin Owen Pell. It reveals how a prize crew was shipwrecked and captured on the enemy’s coast during the Napoleonic Wars.
A black and white photograph of the hospital ship Uganda during the Falklands conflict. The ship is painted white with two crosses on the side

Falklands conflict oral history: serving on SS Uganda

Liz Ormerod recalls her experiences on board the converted hospital ship Uganda
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Exploration and encounters
Historic photograph of a Fijian man

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
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Trade and empire
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Enslavement and resistance
PU0949 PAD0949

Letters from Trinidad

A slave plantation manager's letters home reveal attitudes towards enslavement and emancipation.
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Experience maritime history in Greenwich

Visit historic ship Cutty Sark, discover intriguing exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum and find books about maritime history in our online shop.

Cutty Sark
Step aboard the historic sailing ship, the fastest of its time
Gallery guide to the National Maritime Museum
Travel the world in the National Maritime Museum's free galleries, exploring everywhere from the icy Arctic to the islands of the Pacific
Pirates
Explore the myth, discover the truth: Pirates at the National Maritime Museum is now open
Shop
Buried Treasure: A Pirate Miscellany
£12.99
Published to coincide with a major new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, Buried Treasure lifts the lid or ‘blows the gaff’ on pirate lore and sayings, setting the record straight on the lives and ways of pirates, and revealing the meanings behind and uses of common maritime sayings.
Buy now
Shop
Spotlight Series J.M.W. The Battle of Trafalgar: Commemoration and Controversy
£10.00
Published to coincide with the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth, J.M.W. Turner’s ‘The Battle of Trafalgar’: Commemoration and Controversy explores the history of the artist’s largest painting and his only royal commission...
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Shop
A is for Atlas
£35.00
This beautifully illustrated hardback publication is full of unique and intriguing maps and globes, both Earthly and celestial, from the collection of Royal Museums Greenwich...
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Help preserve our past

Royal Museums Greenwich is a charity, and we rely on your support to care for our collections and help everyone appreciate the history of the sea. Donate today and help shape the Museum's future.
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