Discover remarkable stories from the National Maritime Museum collections, and find out how to trace your own family history using our archives.
The art of Remembrance
From official war artists to intimate sketches, explore just some of the portraits of the men and women who served during the First and Second World Wars held in our collections.
Find more war artists in our collections
Remembrance Sunday at Cutty Sark
Greenwich veteran Charles Roper Medhurst, 95, lays the Museum's wreath at the Memorial for Merchant Seafarers under Cutty Sark for Remembrance Sunday.
Charles served in the Navy during the Second World War on board the battleship Malaya on D-Day and on the minesweeper Beachy Head in the Pacific. He was awarded campaign medals for both theatres and more recently the Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur.
As lockdown prevented us from participating in our usual services of Remembrance, Charles stepped forward with the Museum director to perform this act commemoration for all those who served.
Learn more about the Merchant Navy memorial at Cutty Sark
Tracing First and Second World War family history
The National Maritime Museum may be closed, but you can still explore many of our archives and records online. Check the links below to find out where to begin your research.
1915 Crew Lists
This unique digital database contains 39,000 crew lists and over 750,000 names of British Merchant Navy seafarers who were active in 1915. Transcribed and digitised for the centenary of the First World War, 1915 Crew Lists is an invaluable resource for anyone searching for their seafaring ancestors.
Search the archive Find out more about searching crew lists
Searching the National Maritime Museum archives
Kick start your research into the First and Second World War with our helpful subject guides. Sadly the Caird Library and Archive is currently closed due to lockdown restrictions, but there is still a wealth of records to explore online. We can't wait to welcome you back when we reopen.
From personal letters to public acts of remembrance, discover just some of the stories from the First and Second World War hidden in our archives
‘All at Sea’ - remembering the war widows of the Battle of Jutland
Fear, flames and engine failures - the logbooks of a First World War flying ace
Turning a disaster into a Christmas card - how war artist Richard Eurich captured the Withdrawal of Dunkirk
The Role of the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy in D-Day
Women and War: The Women's Royal Naval Service during the First World War
