Top things to do at Cutty Sark

From the dizzy height of the main mast to the surprises below deck, step aboard and discover the best Cutty Sark has to offer.

The historic ship in the heart of Greenwich is open all year round, and visitors are free to explore all areas of the ship.

Not sure where to start? Check out the highlights below to make the most of your day out. When you're ready, click here to book your tickets.

3 top tips

Take the boat to Greenwich and arrive right outside Cutty Sark in true maritime style! It's less than 30 minutes from the Tower of London to Greenwich Pier using Uber Boats by Thames Clippers, with boats disembarking right outside the historic ship.

Look out for the Cutty Sark characters, especially if you're visiting with kids. These colourful characters can be found wandering the ship every weekend and throughout the school holidays. Talks are free for all visitors.

Have a chat with the shipkeepers. These dedicated craftspeople are committed to preserving Cutty Sark for future generations - and if you time your visit right, you can meet them too.

A man and a woman walk along the main deck during a visit to Cutty Sark

Walk the main deck

It takes hours of work from our experienced shipkeepers to keep the main deck looking as fresh and clean as it does. It wouldn't always have been this way...

During Cutty Sark's days at sea, pigs and chickens would have been kept in pens on deck, with crew responsible for mucking them out. As for the toilets, well... because there was no flushing water, sailors would have simply used salt water to flush everything into the sea!

A family takes a selfie on the main deck of historic ship Cutty Sark, with Canary Wharf in the background

Enjoy the view

Enjoy stunning views across the River Thames. Look out at the London skyline, spot the landmarks spread around you and snap that all-important picture with the deck and rigging surrounding you.

Discover the history of the fastest ship of its day

Step back in time and voyage through more than 150 years of seafaring history. Uncover tales of life on board, steer Cutty Sark from Sydney to London, and learn how the ship set sail through hands-on exhibits. Historic photographs, films and interactive ship plans help bring the famous tea clipper’s story to life.

Go on a family adventure

Cutty Sark is a fantastic day out with the kids. Explore the family-friendly interactive displays and get a taste of life at sea.

Regular events on board help to make the voyage even more action-packed. From craft workshops and shanty singing to character actors and toddler time, there's always something new to discover. And remember, family membership gives you year-round entry for free!

Take a tour or listen to a talk

Photo of a man in a navy jacket holding up a historic item and smiling as a group of people listening to him. They are on the deck of a historic ship

Our daily tours and gallery talks are the perfect way to discover the must-see highlights of the historic ship, all led by our friendly and knowledgeable guides.

More information

A man and a woman hold the ship's wheel on board Cutty Sark

Take the helm

With the ship's wheel in your hands and the miles of rigging shivering in the breeze above your head, this is the place where dreams of setting sail come alive.

The wheel itself was restored in the run up to the opening of Cutty Sark in 1957 by a team of talented woodworkers, and the steering mechanism is one of the many original features preserved on board.

A couple look up at the hull of Cutty Sark. The ship appears to be floating above them, supported as it is by an array of steel beams

Explore beneath the ship

Reach up and touch the copper hull of the ship that made Cutty Sark the fastest of its day. The Dry Dock is one of the most dramatic locations in London, with the ship hovering in mid-air above you. Did you know you can even hire this space for parties?

Learn more about visiting the copper hull

A father lifts his daughter up to look at a display of tea chests inside Cutty Sark

Rummage through Cutty Sark’s cargo

Tea, wool and even pianos were just some of the items carried on board Cutty Sark.

Wander among the stacks of tea chests in the Lower Hold and venture up to the ‘Tween Deck to discover how many wool bales the ship transported on a single voyage (hint: it's enough to make more than 1.2 million jumpers!).

Two children sit in bunk beds, listening attentively to a man dressed as a ship's captain (FRA_4130).jpg

Visit the cabins

Can you imagine sleeping here in rough seas? Discover more what Cutty Sark's crew did when they weren't risking their lives on deck.

A couple enjoy afternoon tea beneath historic ship Cutty Sark. On the table are cakes, sandwiches and fine china. Above them, the hull of the historic ship can be seen, almost 'floating' thanks to the steel support structure and glass roof

Enjoy afternoon tea beneath the hull

Indulge in a special afternoon tea sitting directly beneath Cutty Sark's iconic copper-clad hull. Choose from a selection of teas, sandwiches and sweet treats as you marvel at the historic engineering of the fastest ship of its day.

All table bookings include entry to the ship, so you can explore Cutty Sark at your leisure before or after your meal.

Celebrate Cutty Sark's royal connections

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was Patron of Cutty Sark for more than 70 years, and was instrumental in the ship coming to Greenwich in 1954. In an area steeped in royal and maritime history, Cutty Sark takes pride of place.

Meet the Cutty Sark characters

Meet colourful characters from Cutty Sark’s past and hear astonishing stories about life at sea in the age of sail. Chat to the ship’s owner Jock Willis, the ship’s cook or meet Captain Woodget himself, Cutty Sark’s longest serving master. Who knows? He may even make you one of his crew...

Find out more

See the Cutty Sark figurehead

'Nannie' the witch is Cutty Sark's figurehead. Just like the ship itself, she takes her name from the Robert Burns poem Tam O'Shanter.

In the poem, Tam the farmer is chased by a witch called Nannie. Nannie is dressed only in a ‘cutty sark’ - an archaic Scottish word meaning a short nightdress.

The figurehead you can see on the ship today is a new commission, made by ship’s figurehead carver Andy Peters and designed to reflect the beauty of the original ship designs.

A young man walks amongst stacks of crates in the hold of a ship. He is wearing headphones and holding his phone, and appears to be listening intently

Choose an audio guide and explore

Listen to thrilling tales from Cutty Sark's history, learn about the lives of its captains and crews – and discover exactly how Cutty Sark became the fastest ship of its day. The audio guide is free to download and follow, and you can even listen again when you get home.

For something a little different, seek out the Cutty Sark Soundscape. This digital experience immerses you in the sounds of sailing on a tea clipper 150 years ago. Hear the wind, waves, rigging, creaking wood and other sounds along with specially commissioned music composed by Sonic Collaborations.

A couple stand in front of a display of ship figureheads. A whole range of characters and designs are arranged, positioned as they would have appeared on the front of ships

Come face to face with our fantastic figureheads

Visit the Long John Silver Figurehead collection and spot the literary, historic and political figures depicted in the world's largest Merchant Navy figurehead collection. Learn too all about the man behind the collection, and how he earned his piratical nickname...

Historic black and white photograph of Cutty Sark being towed on the River Thames

Celebrate 70 years of Cutty Sark in Greenwich

On 10 December 1954 Cutty Sark made its final voyage to its new home: a custom-built dry dock in the heart of Greenwich.

Since then, more than 17 million visitors have stepped aboard, walked the ship's decks and experienced a taste of life at sea.

To mark the 70th anniversary of Cutty Sark’s arrival, a new display tells the story of how the ship came to the Royal Borough. Learn more about the display here.