Here's our guide to everything you need to know about booking an onsite school session with Royal Museums Greenwich.
1. Choosing a session
We've got a huge range of school sessions for you and your students, including science and astronomy from the Royal Observatory Greenwich and arts and humanities from the National Maritime Museum, Queen's House, Cutty Sark and the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre (PPMCC).
- Royal Observatory school sessions
- National Maritime Museum and Queen's House EYFS and primary school sessions
- National Maritime Museum and Queen's House secondary school sessions
- Cutty Sark school sessions
- Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre school sessions
- SEND school sessions at all our sites
Or browse the full list of sessions.
If you'd like to include other activities in your visit, such as time to look around a gallery, or a lunch-room slot, let our Bookings team know. Depending on availability, they’ll do their best to help.
We have visit guides and activity trails to help you plan self-guided gallery visits:
2. Pricing
This is a summary of the prices for our onsite sessions, but please also check the price listed for the session(s) you wish to book.
Royal Observatory Greenwich
Discovery Days (for a class of up to 30 students) are £160.
National Maritime Museum and Queen's House
Primary school sessions (for a class of up to 30 students) are £90.
Secondary schools and Greenwich schools are free.
The 3-week Learning, Living and Working course for SEND learners is £90.
Cutty Sark
Self-guided visits are £90 for a class of up to 30 students and £45 for smaller school groups of between 10-15 students.
Sessions are £150 for a class of up to 30 students.
Adults accompanying school groups are admitted free according to the following ratios:
- Post-16 groups: 1 adult per 16 students
- KS3 and KS4: 1 adult per 10 students
- KS2: 1 adult per 8 students
- EYFS/KS1: 1 adult per 5 students
- Special educational needs: 1 adult per learner
Additional adults are welcome and will be charged at the group rate of £15.30 per person.
Limited bursaries are available.
PPMCC
Primary school sessions are £90.
Secondary schools and Lewisham and Greenwich state schools are free.
3. Deciding which dates you would like to book
Our programmes run at different times depending on the location and session. Please check the available dates and times for the session(s) you are booking: find a session.
It is always good to have a few dates in mind, as the programme gets very busy.
Please note we cannot take bookings with less than a week's notice.
4. Getting in touch
Our Bookings team have created an enquiry webform so you can provide the important information we need right at the beginning. This means we can cut down on lots of emails.
Unfortunately, the Bookings team cannot process school bookings by telephone. Please use the enquiry form.
Please note: submission of the enquiry form does not commit you to your initial request or to make payment. The booking will be arranged by email, and a final confirmation statement will be sent by email.
Our Bookings team will then take you through the booking process and can answer any questions you have.
If you would like to book an online session, fill in our digital sessions request form.
5. Payment
Please note that all school sessions must be paid for in advance by credit/debit card or by BACS if requested. We do NOT send invoices or accept payment by cheque. You'll find more information about our cancellation policy and payments in our T&Cs.
6. Safeguarding
There are many things to consider to keep your students safe during an onsite visit. Before your booking can be confirmed, we ask you to familiarise yourself with our risk assessments, supervision requirements and code of conduct.
Risk assessments
Please ensure you have read the information on risk assessments for school visits.
Supervision
You are legally responsible for your group at all times, whether they are visiting the shop, having lunch, in a planetarium show, a workshop, or looking around the galleries.
Adults providing one-to-one support for a student should be counted separately, and there should be an appropriate number of other adults responsible for the rest of the group.
So, please ensure that you have sufficient staff with your group throughout the visit:
- EYFS/KS1 – 1 adult per 5 students
- KS2 - 1 adult per 8 students
- KS3 and KS4 - 1 adult per 10 students
- Post-16 – 1 adult per 16 students.
Please note that if a group does not have the minimum number of adults on the day of their visit, admission to the group’s booked session/s, particularly planetarium shows, is not guaranteed.
Code of conduct
Please read our guidance to help everyone have an enjoyable visit:
6. Ready to visit!
Before your visit, we'll send you all the information you need to know. On the day, our staff will be happy to help with any questions. And afterwards, we'll signpost you to learning resources to help you and your students follow up on the session, should you want to.
We hope you enjoy your visit to Royal Museums Greenwich.