Ticketed

Essential Information

Location
Cutty Sark
Price Included with entry to Cutty Sark

Members go free. Not a member? Join now

See the terrifying height Cutty Sark's crew scaled as they climbed the masts and the rigging that helped make it the fastest ship of its day.

What did it take to get Cutty Sark under sail?
  • To help it reach speeds of up to 17 knots (20 miles per hour or 30 kph), the ship originally had 32 sails and a total sail area of 32,000 square feet (2,976 square metres).
  • To help set and control this huge sail area, Cutty Sark needed over 11 miles of rigging and a main mast 152 feet tall (47 metres).
Image

Built for speed

Cutty Sark was built in Dumbarton in 1869, designed to carry tea from China to England as fast as possible. 

The ship successfully made eight voyages to China in pursuit of tea. However, Cutty Sark never became the fastest ship on the tea trade. Dogged by bad winds and misfortune, she never lived up to the high expectations of her owner during these years.

Cutty Sark collected the last Chinese tea cargo in 1877, by which time steamers were taking over the tea trade. The owners had to find a new future for the ship.

Image
Painting of the Cutty Sark bow

Becoming the fastest

The advent of Cutty Sark's teenage years marked its most successful phase as a working cargo ship, when it made its name as one of the fastest clippers of its day - transporting wool from Australia.

In 1883, Cutty Sark left Newcastle N.S.W after loading up on bales of wool and casks of tallow. It departed in December 1883 and arrived back in London in March 1884.

The passage of 83 days was the best of the year, beating every ship sailing at about the same time by 25 days to over a month. This was a remarkable feat, considering that Cutty Sark was 14 years old, almost halfway through her expected working life of 30 years.

Choose your tickets

Captain Woodget and kids with ropes

Cutty Sark

  • Explore the main deck
  • Walk beneath the ship
  • See how the crew lived
  • Family activities and interactives
  • Guaranteed entry time
  • Audio guide included
Adult £20
Child £10
BOOK NOW
A couple takes a selfie at the top of Greenwich Park, with the River Thames and Canary Wharf in the background

Royal Museums Greenwich Day Pass

  • Save 25% with combo ticket
  • Cutty Sark
  • Royal Observatory
  • Guaranteed entry time
  • Planetarium shows not included
Adult £30
Child £15
BOOK NOW

Member tickets

  • Unlimited free entry
  • Priority booking and exclusive events
  • Access using your membership card
Membership card number required
BOOK NOW
A father and son look through a porthole on the main deck of historic ship Cutty Sark

Become a Member

  • Unlimited entry all year
  • Royal Observatory
  • Cutty Sark
  • Planetarium Shows
  • Special exhibitions
Direct Debit One-off
Individual: £50 Individual: £60
Family: from £60 Family: from £70
JOIN TODAY