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 beautiful 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.

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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 might not always have been this way...

Pigs and chickens would be kept in pens on deck during voyages, with crew responsible for mucking them out. As for the toilets, well... because there was no flushing water, sailors would simply use salt water to flush everything out into the sea!

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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.

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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?

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Enjoy afternoon tea under the hull

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

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.

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Follow the Cutty Sark audio guide

Want to hear what life was really like at sea? Download the Cutty Sark audio guide and take a voyage into our seafaring past.

We're partnering with Smartify, the world's most downloaded museum app, to bring you this brand new way to explore the ship.

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Take part in a virtual experience

Explore Cutty Sark’s poop deck like never before with our virtual 3D tour.

Located at the rear of the famous tea clipper, the poop deck is home to the Ship’s Wheel and the officers’ accommodation.

The area is currently closed to visitors while we replace the deck. Maritime lovers can now explore the deck from the comfort of home thanks to our virtual experience, created in partnership with cultural travel app, Smartify.

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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!

Cutty Sark for families

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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...

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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...

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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.

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Visit the cabins

You don't really know a ship until you know how what it's like to live on board. Discover more about how the crew lived, where they slept – and the meals they ate at sea.

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.