Roof works at the National Maritime Museum

At a glance

Essential improvements to the glass roof glazing of the National Maritime Museum are currently taking place, and will continue until Summer 2025. The Museum will still be open every day, but there are some things visitors need to be aware of.

The main entrance to the Museum will be via the Parkside Entrance on King William Walk, next to the 'Ship in a Bottle' sculpture.
The central court, Great Map and galleries beneath the glass roof will be closed during roof renovations. A recommended visitor route will help guide you round the Museum's galleries and exhibitions.
Special exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum will be free in 2024 while works are taking place.

What's happening?

Hundreds of thousands of people pass beneath the huge glass roof of the National Maritime Museum every year.

From the open space of the Great Map to the giant objects on display around the central court, this is the much-loved heart of the Museum.

Interior view of the National Maritime Museum, showing a large open space with a giant map on the floor. A glass roof with metal beams stretches across the entire space

However, the noise within the square can be challenging for some visitors, particularly during major events and live performances. Rising temperatures also mean that the area beneath the glazed roof can become uncomfortably hot during the summer months.

For the sake of visitors, staff and the collections we care for, this needs to change.

We are currently carrying out essential improvements to the roof with the aim of reducing heat issues, providing better acoustics and ultimately delivering a much-improved visitor experience.

How will this affect my visit?

The main entrance to the National Maritime Museum while works take place will be the Parkside entrance on King William Walk, next to the 'Ship in a Bottle' sculpture. The entrance next to Romney Road will be closed. See this map for additional guidance.

The spaces beneath the glass roof will be closed to visitors. This includes the Great Map area and café, central galleries and the AHOY! Children’s Gallery. Click here for a full list of gallery closures, or download an updated Museum map to see the areas affected.

Download a Museum map

pdf, 1.76 MB

What will still be open?

The vast majority of the permanent galleries will remain open, with a new recommended visitor route helping you explore further into the Museum’s displays and exhibitions. You can also join one of our fantastic daily tours or follow one of our dedicated audio guides.

Special exhibitions held at the Museum will be free for all visitors in 2024. This includes Astronomy Photographer of the Year, our major annual photography exhibition.

While we know families will miss the Great Map and AHOY! Gallery, we hope they’ll be able to make the most of The Cove, the new outdoor playground located next to Greenwich Park, and the All Hands Children's Gallery on the second floor of the Museum.

And with historic ship Cutty Sark, the Queen’s House and the Royal Observatory Greenwich all just a short walk from the Museum, there’s still so much to see and do in Greenwich.

Are there any changes to Member benefits?

The Members room will be closed but we are pleased to increase our Member discount across all of our cafés to 20% during the roof works.

Members will be able to access even more special events, including opportunities to see J.M.W. Turner’s Battle of Trafalgar painting up close in our stores and to discover more about our collection and exhibitions in exclusive talks and tours. Check out what's coming up for Members here.

Things will look a little different at the National Maritime Museum during this period. But by acting now, we can ensure that the central court will continue to be a truly welcoming space for years to come.