Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) will host a season of events dedicated to play from July to September 2023. The events will explore and celebrate play through workshops, trails, talks and activities for all ages.
There will be events at all RMG sites, linking play with the themes of space, sea and art, while also exploring how play can be used as a vehicle for children and adults alike to participate in museums and cultural spaces, as well as the world around us.
National Maritime Museum
Summer of Play
During the summer holidays the National Maritime Museum is getting playful with water. Explore oceans and seas and discover the magic of water during a series of workshops and family activities.
Date: 22 July – 3 September 2023
Times: 11.00 – 13.00 | 14.00 – 16.00
Suitability: Suitable for all ages
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/summer-play
Play Outdoors Tuesdays
Drop into the grounds on Tuesdays and take part in playful activities on the lawns outside the National Maritime Museum. These self-directed activities will encourage little ones to explore the outdoors whatever the weather.
Date: 22 July – 3 September 2023
Times: 11.00 – 13.00 | 14.00 – 16.00
Suitability: Suitable for children under 5 years
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/play-outdoors-tuesdays
Games without Wires
Join the Caribbean Social Forum for fun and games. Come and play your favourite games – and discover new ones too.
Dates: 1, 15 August 2023
Times: 12.00 – 16.00
Age: Suitable for all ages
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: Free
Learn to Photograph Water: Reflections, Splashes and Waves
Sharp Shots Photo Club will lead a photography workshop for families to learn how to photograph water creatively. Using the ‘Our Connection to Water’ Exhibition as inspiration, Sharp Shots will take families on a tour through the exhibition, discussing the inspiring work and helping participants to understand how they too can capture water creatively with their cameras. Participants will learn how to use focus, zoom, shutter speed and light to really help their water images stand out. All different types of water will be captured on the workshop, from running water, to water balloons, bubbles and the moving water of the Thames.
Participants will finish with a wonderful set of creative images of water, and will be able to print out their top two images to take home & share.
Date: 10 August 2023
Times: 11.00 – 16.00
Suitability: Suitable for ages 7 – 15
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: £70 per child and accompanying adult | £30 per additional adult or child
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/seminar-room/learn-photograph-water-refl…
Come Fly with Us
Join this kite-making workshop for adults, then journey out into Greenwich Park to watch your creation fly.
Dates: 11 August 2023
Times: 14.00 – 16.00
Age: Suitable for adults
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/season-play-afg…
Young Creatives – Shaping Space
During the second week of the summer holidays, architectural educators MATT+FIONA will run a three-day creative extravaganza. Participants will get a unique insight into the world of architecture and design, and literally shaping space!
Dates: 31 July – 2 August 2023
Times: 10.30 – 16.00
Age: Suitable for ages 15 – 18
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum/young-creatives-shaping-space
Family Trails and Backpacks at the National Maritime Museum
Pick up a family trail or borrow a backpack of activities from the ‘Play and Explore’ trolley at the National Maritime Museum to discover exciting objects in the galleries. Choose from seven different trails across a range of galleries, with activities suited to any age, or try the Sensory Explorer backpack.
Date: Daily
Time: 10.00 – 17.00
Age: Suitable for all ages
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/family-trails-national-maritime-museum-0
Gallery Activities
Head into the galleries at the National Maritime Museum to discover playful activities for families which will allow young visitors to engage with the Museum and its collections in a more accessible manner.
Date: Daily
Time: 10.00 – 17.00
Age: Suitable for a range of ages
Admission: Free
Location: National Maritime Museum
AHOY! Gallery
The National Maritime Museum’s flagship children’s gallery is inspired by the Museum’s collections. The themes of trade, leisure, navy, migration and exploration have shaped the content, and a dedicated ‘seaside’ area for crawlers and toddlers sits alongside interactive giant ships and small world boat play for older children. Each interactive area treats children as serious learners, and features problem-solving activities that place children at the centre of their own experience.
Date: Daily
Time: 10.00 – 17.00
Age: Suitable for children under 7 years
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: Free on weekdays during term time | £3 weekends and school holidays
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum/attractions/ahoy-childrens-gallery
All-Hands Gallery
This hands-on gallery encourages older children to explore maritime technologies and skills past and present. This includes the opportunity to fire a cannon, load cargo and explore a ship called Seahorse. Children can also prepare food in the ship’s galley and find out about strange meals sailors ate on board.
Date: Daily
Time: 10.00 – 17.00
Age: Suitable for children aged 6—12 years
Location: National Maritime Museum
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum/attractions/all-hands-childrens-gallery
Queen’s House
Character Actors at the Queen’s House
Discover different characters from history with their own fascinating stories to tell. Meet Mistress Babington and discover what life was like in the royal residence, or encounter Inspector Canvass and search the paintings for clues.
Dates: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 22 July – 3 September 2023
Times: 12.00 | 13.00 | 14.00 | 15.00
Age: Suitable for ages 5 and over
Location: Queen’s House
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/queens-house/character-actors
Family Trails at the Queen’s House
Pick up a trail or Conservation Kit and explore, investigate and play in this historic house.
Dates: Daily
Times: 10.00 – 17.00
Age: Recommended for ages 7 and above, but available to all
Location: Queen’s House
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house/queens-house-family-self-led-activities
Cutty Sark
Ship Shapes
Come and play under the Cutty Sark this summer. Drop in and build a new dockyard in Greenwich for the Cutty Sark to moor in alongside other families.
Dates: 26, 27 July | 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 August 2023
Times: 11.00 – 16.00
Age: Suitable for all ages
Location: Cutty Sark, Dry Dock
Admission: Included in the admission price for the ship
Making Waves
Take a dive under the Cutty Sark in this dance and movement workshop which explores play, games and wonders from above and below deck. Dip a toe or plunge right in.
Dates: 25 July, 8 August 2023
Times: 12.30, 14.30
Age: Suitable for families
Location: Cutty Sark, Dry Dock
Admission: Included in the admission price for the ship
Working Winches
Experiment with cogs and levers to try and create a working winch to help load the Cutty Sark with cargo.
Dates: 1 August 2023
Times: 11.00 – 13.00 | 14.00 – 16.00
Age: Suitable for ages 5 and above
Location: Cutty Sark, Dry Dock
Admission: Included in the admission price for the ship
Creative Construction
Inspired by the construction required for ship building and at dockyards, come and create underneath the Cutty Sark.
Dates: 15, 22, 29 August 2023
Times: 11.00 – 16.00
Age: Suitable for all ages
Location: Cutty Sark, Dry Dock
Admission: Included in the admission price for the ship
Family Fun Weekend: Colourful Costumes
Date: 1 – 2 July 2023
Time: 11.00 – 16.00
Suitability: Suitable for all ages
Location: Cutty Sark
Admission: Included in the admission price for the ship
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/cutty-sark/family-fun-weekend
Family Fun Weekend: Land Yachts
Step aboard and set sail on a fantastic family adventure at Cutty Sark. Meet characters from the ship's past and sing along with our resident sea shanty singers. In August, visitors can take part a land yacht workshop, powering their creations with balloons, families can then race the vessels along a track.
Date: 5 – 6 August 2023
Time: 11.00 – 13.00 | 14.00 – 16.00
Suitability: Suitable for all ages
Location: Cutty Sark
Admission: Included in the admission price for the ship
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/cutty-sark/family-fun-weekend
Family Fun Weekend
Step aboard and set sail on a fantastic family adventure at Cutty Sark. Meet characters from the ship's past and sing along with our resident sea shanty singers. In September, playful activities continue under the hull.
Date: 2 September 2023
Time: 11.00 – 13.00 | 14.00 – 16.00
Suitability: Suitable for all ages
Location: Cutty Sark
Admission: Included in the admission price for the ship
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/cutty-sark/family-fun-weekend
Family Trails at Cutty Sark
There's lots for families to see and do on board Cutty Sark. Pick up a family trail or backpack from the admissions desk and discover new facts, stories and people in Cutty Sark's life - past, present and future.
Dates: Daily
Times: 10.00 – 17.00
Age: Suitable for a range of ages
Location: Cutty Sark
Admission: Free
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark/families/trails
Royal Observatory Greenwich
Once Upon a Star
Join the astronomers of the Royal Observatory and Ted the bear for some interactive storytelling in the Planetarium. Bring your favourite teddy with you and write them into your very own space adventure.
Date: 9, 23 August 2023
Time: 10.30 – 12.00
Suitability: Recommended for ages 3-6 years
Location: Royal Observatory Greenwich, Peter Harrison Planetarium
Admission: £5 for children
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/royal-observatory/once-upon-star
Young Astronomers Workshop
Come along to make-and-do activities about space at the Royal Observatory and ask the Observatory Explainers your questions about the Universe.
Dates: Every weekend
Time: 11.30 – 14.30
Age: Suitable for ages 4 to 11 years
Location: Royal Observatory Greenwich
Admission: Free with entry to the Peter Harrison Planetarium
Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Community Day
The Prince Philip Maritime Collection Centre will be opening its doors to the community for a day of playful activities, talks and tours, in which visitors can discover a unique range of toys and games including a dominoes set made from bone and a teddy bear that has travelled the world.
Date: 15 July 2023
Time: 10.30 – 16.00
Suitability: Suitable for all ages
Location: Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Admission: Free
GENERAL INFORMATION
The National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory Greenwich, Queen’s House, Cutty Sark and Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre operate under the banner of Royal Museums Greenwich.
We recommend that visitors book their tickets online in advance. This helps us spread visits out throughout the day, and ensures sites remain safe for all.
All events included here are free of charge to all visitors unless stated.
For updated information prior to visit please visit our web site:
http://www.rmg.co.uk or phone 020 8858 4422.
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For further information or images please contact:
Royal Museums Greenwich Press Office
Tel: 020 8312 6545/6789/6589
Email: press@rmg.co.uk