Free

Essential Information

Location
Date and Times Reopening 7 June 2025
Price Free

The giant Ocean Map at the centre of the National Maritime Museum turns our view of the world inside out.

While other maps focus on countries and land mass, the Ocean Map is all about water!

A type of world map known as a Spilhaus Projection, presenting the ocean as one single body of water. This version was created for display at the National Maritime Museum

Run across the map, leap across oceans and discover why the ocean is vital to all life on Earth. The Ocean Map will be open at the National Maritime Museum from Saturday 7 June 2025.

Ocean Map highlights

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Two adults playing with a toddler who is sitting on a model ship on a big world map printed on the floor

Take a ride on five famous ships

Go on a journey across the ocean on one of our ride-on ship models!

  • RRS Sir David Attenborough is a next-generation marine science platform for UK research in both Antarctica and the Arctic.
  • Once the world’s largest container ship, Encounter Bay was launched 50 years ago during the infancy of “containerisation”, the development of which changed globalisation forever.
  • HMS Kildangan was operated by the Royal Navy during World War I, and was double-ended and painted in “dazzle” camouflage in order to confuse German submarines.
  • Empire Windrush brought some of the first post-war migrants to Britain from the Caribbean. 
  • Designed as an icebreaker, the Arctic Sunrise has been used by environmental organisation Greenpeace since 1995.
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A light blue illustration of a colossal squid against a dark blue background

Spot sea creatures

Discover some of the most weird and wonderful creatures in the ocean!

From the colossal squid to the wandering albatross, the loggerhead turtle to the hammerhead shark, there are 20 hidden creatures dotted around the Ocean Map. Can you find them all?

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A portion of the Ocean Map at the National Maritime Museum showing major port cities around Asia and Africa

Find your home port

The Ocean Map may be big and blue, but you can find your way home if you want to!

Major global port cities are highlighted, showing the vital maritime links that keep our modern world turning. Plot a route across the seas and see where your journey takes you.