The Children's Gallery and Ship Simulator Interactive Galleries
Please note: the Children's Gallery will be closed for refurbishment 5 September until spring 2012.
These family-friendly galleries are ideal for younger visitors. Explore maritime skills and technologies past and present, from deep-sea diving to steering a ship into port.
Visitor information
The Ship Simulator gallery is open to families every weekend, on Tuesdays and during school holidays. See below for schools groups information.
Location: Museum level 2 - see floor plans (PDF, 1.5MB)
The Children's Gallery
A gallery for children of all ages. Send a semaphore signal, load a cargo ship and even fire a cannon.
From signalling to cargo-loading, this hands-on gallery is themed around the lives, skills and technologies of seafarers past and present.
Ship Simulator
Step aboard the Ship Simulator and discover the art of navigation and communication at sea. Become the captain of a ship and try your hand at manoeuvring into port using the state-of-the-art bridge simulator – but remember to bring your sea legs as it can get choppy! Find out more about the Ship Simulator below.
Sailing skills
The Ship Simulator gallery helps young people understand key navigational issues: plotting a course; negotiating deep and shallow waters; reading charts; and taking into account factors like weather conditions. You can also learn sailing skills online in our Sail Safe website, and sail a yacht to Antigua in the exciting Ocean Challenge game.
Schools groups
The Children's Gallery and the Ship Simulator are excellent resources for cross-curricular learning. The Ship Simulator gallery is linked with the learning objectives of the National Curriculum's key stage 2 and 3.
Schools groups can book the galleries for one-hour sessions on weekdays (except Tuesdays). Museum staff guide booked groups to help focus and extend their learning.
For full information on the Museum's resources and programmes for schools see our Schools pages.
The Ship Simulator
The ship's interactive bridge simulator (in the Ship Simulator gallery) brings to life the excitement, difficulties, hazards and skills of handling ships at sea. Join the crew and experience the sights and sounds of the vessel in operation, from the bark of the captain’s commands to the vibration of the ship's engine.
The simulator is based on the software used to train captains of P&O and the coxswains of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. Through five interactive screens, visitors use real navigational equipment, electronic charts and radars to make their way through scenarios that are graded to suit the expertise of the users. Points are scored based on your performance.
You could find yourself at the helm of a fishing boat navigating buoys in New York Harbour, following a helicopter rescue mission to a sinking vessel, navigating a frigate into position off Sydney shores or steering a P&O ferry into port in Dover.