This exhibition has now closed.

Dates: 8 May–29 October 2010

Location: Micro-gallery, Level G, National Maritime Museum

For centuries ships and boats have enabled us to explore the oceans and earn our living from the sea: they have also played important roles in times of conflict. This exhibition features six vessels filmed for the BBC Four television series Boats that Built Britain. Each tells a particular story about Britain’s relationship with the sea. Read more about the exhibition.

The centrepiece of the exhibition is the Defiant of Lyme Regis, a replica 13-foot pilot punt recently built by Kent boat-builder Marc Chivers.

The Series Boats that Built Britain is presented by Tom Cunliffe and was produced by Form Films. It will be showing on Saturday evenings on BBC2 throughout May.

The exhibition coincides with Sea Fever – a major new season on BBC Four which looks at the crucial ways in which the sea has helped to shape Britain.
 

The ships Reaper and Cariad are among the over 1200 historic UK ships on the National Register of Historic Vessels, which is managed by government-funded advisory body National Historic Ships. These vessels are an important part of Britain’s maritime past and National Historic Ships works to ensure that the most significant vessels are preserved for future generations.