Weapons

You can view over 500 edged weapons and firearms in Collections Online.

The Museum has an extensive collection of weapons that includes firearms, ordnance and edged weapons such as swords and daggers.

War at sea was particularly brutal and desperate. The Museum has examples of cannons, cannon balls, shot, mortars and howitzers ranging from the designs of the 18th century to the more advanced 19th and 20th century inventions. Also in the collections are 18th century sea service pistols right through to guns manufactured in the 20th century, including from the World Wars. The edged weapon collection comprises over 600 swords including regulation types and presentation swords. The Museum also possesses various ethnographic weapons such as spears and bows and arrows brought back from expeditions such as Captain Cook's (1728–1779) to the Pacific.

Access to this collection is allowed only by written application to the Curator of Weapons. Proof of identity is needed. Contact:

Curator of Weapons
National Maritime Museum
Greenwich
London SE10 9NF