National Maritime Museum, London

National Maritime Museum
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Londres_383..jpg
Author: Simdaperce


The National Maritime Museum is part of the World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich.

The National Maritime Museum (NMM) in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom. It was created by the National Maritime Act of 1934, through the generous donations of Sir James Caird (1864 - 1954). King George VI formally opened the Museum in April 27, 1937 accompanied by his daughter Princess Elizabeth, the present Queen Elizabeth II, taking a journey down the Thames from London.

Greenwich has always had an association with the sea and with navigation. The Romans landed there, King Henry VIII lived there, the navy is stationed at the waterfront, and King Charles II founded the Royal Observatory there in 1675 to locate the longitude of places. Greenwich is the home of the Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian since 1884, and has long been a centre for astronomical study, and navigators across the world have set their clocks according to its time of day.

Propeller exhibited at the National Maritime Museum
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Propeller,_National_Maritime_Museum.jpg
Author: Sue Wallace


The Museum has the most important collection in the world on Britain's role at sea. It contains more than two million items including including maritime art (both British and 17th-century Dutch), cartography, manuscripts including official public records, ship models and plans, scientific and navigational instruments, instruments for time-keeping and astronomy (based at the Observatory). The National Maritime Museum's British portraits collection is exceeded in size only by that of the National Portrait Gallery and its collection on Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson and Captain James Cook, among many other individuals, is simply the best anywhere.

The National Maritime Museum has the world's largest maritime historical reference library - 100,000 volumes strong - including books dating back to the 15th century. An active loans programme ensures that items from the collection are seen in the UK and abroad. Pairing with the Royal Observatory, it enjoys a unique blend of subjects covering history, science and the arts.

The National Maritime Museum is located within the 200-acre Greenwich Royal Park in the buildings previously occupied by the Royal Hospital School (or Royal Naval School). It includes the Queen's House, part of the historic site of Maritime Greenwich, which was made a World Heritage Site in 1997, and the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

Getting there

The National Maritime Museum is located in Greenwich, about 11km (7 miles) from Trafalgar Square.
Nearest National Rail / DLR station: Greenwich
Docklands Light Railway: Take train to Island Gardens station, then walk through the tunnel to Greenwich Buses: No. 188
River Boats: Take ferry boat from Westminster Millennium Pier. Journey takes about 1 hour 10 minutes.

What to see

The National Maritime Museum comprises a collection of buildings, the most significant is the Queen's House, the first neoclassical Palladian style building in England. Also under the National Maritime Museum is the Old Royal Observatory.

List of Museums in London

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