Essential information
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Price | Treasures Tour: £7.50 adults | Private Tour: from £500 for 10 guests | All other tours and talks are free |
The National Maritime Museum is a treasure trove of objects, stories and memories.
But with so much to see, where to begin? Our daily tours and gallery talks are the perfect way to discover the must-see highlights of the Museum, all led by our friendly and knowledgeable guides.
Check out the details below to find out what's currently on offer, and get ready to embark on a voyage of discovery.
- For group (15+) tour enquiries, please make a group booking enquiry.
- You can request a private, out-of-hours tour here.
Treasures Tour
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Explore some of the Museum’s most prized – and lesser-known – objects on this guided tour.
Meet and greet a Fijian canoe; be chilled by tales of polar exploration; marvel at the oldest boat in our collection and learn about life at sea in the age of Nelson.
- Timings: Tours run daily at 12pm and 2pm.
- Duration: 50-60 minutes.
- Meeting point: Information Desk, located by the Parkside Café on the ground floor of the National Maritime Museum.
- Price: £7.50 for adults; £5.50 for students; £3.75 for children; free for Members.
- Suitability: The tours are suitable for adults and children.
- Audio headsets: You will be provided with headphones and an audio headset, which allow you to clearly hear the guide and adjust the volume if required. The headphones and headset will be collected at the end of the tour.
- Tour size: Each tour has a maximum capacity of 25 people.
- Accessibility: The tour passes through several galleries located on different floors of the Museum. Step-free access is available via lifts.
Want to take things at your own pace? The Treasures audio tour is a self-guided, audio version of the Treasures Tour. It is a great alternative if you aren't able to join a group or can't visit the Museum. Find out more about audio guides at the National Maritime Museum here.
Gallery favourites tour
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From the secret lives of women in Nelson's Navy to Ponko the penguin, dive deeper into the stories within our collection during our free gallery talks. Where will your journey of discovery take you?
- Timings: Daily at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 4pm subject to availability – speak to staff at the Information Desk (located by the Parkside Café on the ground floor of the National Maritime Museum) if you are interested in joining a talk.
- Duration: 15-25 minutes.
- Location: Talks take place in various galleries around the Museum. Listen to the tannoy announcements, check the posters around the site or ask a member of our team for more information.
- Price: Free. No booking is required.
- Suitability: Suitable for adults and children.
- Accessibility: All floors of the Museum are accessible via lifts.
Volunteer tours and talks
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Uncover some of the wonders of the past with our volunteer guides.
- Timings: Subject to availability – speak to staff at the Information Desk (located by the Parkside Café on the ground floor of the National Maritime Museum) for more information.
- Location: Events take place in various galleries across the Museum.
- Price: Free.
- Suitability: Suitable for adults and children.
- Accessibility: All floors of the Museum are accessible via lifts.
Private out-of-hours tours
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Book a bespoke, private tour of the National Maritime Museum and you can explore the collection while the Museum is closed to the general public.
Our out-of-hours tours give you the opportunity see some of the most prized objects in our collection up close, without the crowds, including items recovered from the RMS Titanic and the famous uniform worn by Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar.
- Timings: Wednesday to Friday; 9-10am or 5-6pm.
- Duration: 1 hour.
- Prices: £500 for up to 10 guests (£50 per person for each additional guest).
- How to book: register your interest in a private out-of-hours tour here.
- Audio headsets: You will be provided with headphones and an audio headset, which allow you to clearly hear the guide and adjust the volume if required. The headphones and headset will be collected at the end of the tour.
- Accessibility: The tour passes through several galleries located on different floors of the Museum. Step-free access is available via lifts.
What’s on
Find more events at the National Maritime Museum
