Essential Information
| Type | Events and festivals |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and Times | Saturday 21 June 2025 | 11am - 4pm |
| Prices | Free |
HMT Empire Windrush arrived in Britain on 22 June 1948. On board were more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean.
Each year the National Maritime Museum partners with the Caribbean Social Forum and other local partners to celebrate Caribbean culture and the legacy of the Windrush generation in the UK today.
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This year's event on Saturday 21 June includes:
- A series of talks reflecting on Windrush Day, what Windrush means and how we should mark this moment of history.
- Family history workshop with the Caird Library team, helping visitors explore the Museum's archives and their Caribbean connections.
- Games Without Wires with the Caribbean Social Forum, providing board games and challenges for children of all ages.
- A range of family-friendly workshops and activities.
This year we are also excited to be joined by the Migration Museum, who will be taking over the ReThink space with drop-in activities, story sharing and self-guided boat making.
Keep an eye on this page for more details, and get ready to join us at the National Maritime Museum this June.
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Windrush stories and resources
What is Windrush Day?
On 22 June 1948, Caribbean migrants arrived in the UK on the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in Essex, their first stop before travelling towards London.
Many people from British Commonwealth countries travelled to the UK between 1948 and 1971, encouraged by the 1948 British Nationality Act that granted citizenship and right of abode to all members of the British Empire.
On arrival in the UK however, people were often met with racism, lack of acknowledgement of their professional skills and very different living conditions.
Windrush Day is a chance to celebrate British Caribbean communities, and acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions the Windrush generation and their descendants have made to British society.
The Windrush arrival marked a turning point, when Caribbeans came here to help re-build Britain, to work in the transport system, factories and the newly created NHS. So for those who had to overcome so much adversity, it has great significance”
Baroness Floella Benjamin
Our partners
