Self-guided school visits

National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House

You do not need to book self-guided school visits to the National Maritime Museum and the Queen's House in advance, but please read the important information below to prepare for your visit.

A visitor assistant will log the details of your group on arrival.

Please be aware that the AHOY! Children's Gallery will be closed to the public from March 2024.

There are restricted lunch spaces available in 2024-2025, so it is no longer possible to book lunch space in advance for self-guided groups. We cannot guarantee indoor lunch spaces will be available for self-directed groups on the day.

Please read our code of conduct so everyone has an enjoyable visit:

Pirates Exhibition

29 March 2025 – 4 January 2026

This exhibition is recommended for ages 7+. Please read our guidance for teachers, which gives you more details of what to expect in the exhibition:

It is our strong recommendation that teachers visit this exhibition in advance to assess its suitability for their learners, particularly at Primary level. Please contact our Bookings Team to arrange a complimentary ticket on Bookings@rmg.co.uk or 020 8312 6608.

All school groups must book to visit the exhibition in advance with the Bookings Team using our online booking form. The cost is £1 per head (including all adults and teachers) for school groups coming on a self-guided visit. Schools gain free access to the Pirates exhibition if attending a facilitated session at one of our sites. Your time slot must be booked in advance.

Cutty Sark 

Self-guided school visits to Cutty Sark cost £90 for up to 30 children and £45 for up to 15 children and must be booked in advance. 

We are able to offer a limited number of free self-guided visits for state-funded Greenwich schools. These must be booked in advance using our online booking form. 

Trails are available to download here.

Royal Observatory 

Schools wanting to visit the historic north site of the Royal Observatory only must book their visit in advance. Complete the online booking form and our bookings team will be able to advise you on the availability and costs of north site visits. Schools that have paid for a session at any of our sites automatically gain free admission to the historic north site of the Royal Observatory. Make sure to have a copy of your booking confirmation with you and show it to a member of staff on the day of your visit. Please do follow any guidance given by our Visitor Experience team.  
 

We cannot guarantee indoor spaces will be available for self-directed groups on the day. Pre-booked lunch spaces are not available for planetarium shows, only bookings or self-guided school visits at the Royal Observatory.

1. When inside, please follow any one-way systems for visitor circulation, as directed by Visitor Assistants and signage.  
2. Please ensure you bring enough accompanying adults for your group (as per the ratios specified for your key stage below). Please split into the smallest groups possible to explore the galleries and be mindful of other museum visitors.
3. Please allow extra time to wash or sanitise hands regularly throughout your visit.
4. If you use one of our lunch spaces, please tidy up afterwards using the cleaning materials provided.
5. You can find a template for your risk assessment here.

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

Adults exceeding these ratios will need to pay group prices for Cutty Sark.