Art A Van de Velde drawing lesson Notes, inscriptions and observations fill many of the Van de Velde drawings. What can they tell us about their artistic process? Space Seeing the sound of a black hole How do you picture something that is invisible and inaudible to humans? Artist and photographer John White has the answer History How coffee has shaped Britain's maritime history This blog looks at how a seemingly insignificant bean provided the stimulus to advancements in naval intelligence, technology, trade and science Beneath the blue Artist Alberta Whittle shares the inspiration behind Feeling Blue, a new contemporary tapestry created for the Queen's House Start reading Watch Dancer, educator, heavy metal fan and astrophotographer: go behind the lens with Monika Deviat, Aurorae winner of the Aurorae category of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2023 Watch With its array of colours, striking design and text, it’s hard not to be taken in by this vibrant tapestry. Feeling Blue is a brand-new commission from Royal Museums Greenwich, created by multidisciplinary artist Alberta Whittle and Dovecot Studios in Edinburgh. Watch Daring, dedication and an eye for detail – see how the artist Willem Van de Velde the Elder risked his life to record naval battles as they happened. Tap the arrows for more great videos. Watch See how astronomy photographer Andrea Vanoni captured his remarkable 'mosaic' image of the Moon, part of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2022. Watch Curator Claire Warrior and polar explorer Iain Rudkin warm up with a relic from our polar past. How is polar exploration changing today? Watch From perilous refugee crossings to black history and identity, explore the different meanings contained in artist Kehinde Wiley's Ship of Fools. Greenwich Help uncover 100 years of medical history Thanks to our fantastic volunteers, we are well on our way to reviving an important piece of Greenwich’s maritime history. History of Cutty Sark Delve into the fascinating history of Cutty Sark - the record-breaking tea clipper which travelled the globe and visited every major world port History of the Royal Observatory Find out more about the founding of the Royal Observatory and how it came to be known as the 'Home of Time' History of the Queen's House The centre of Greenwich for hundreds of years, the beautiful Queen's House has also been at the heart of royal life The transatlantic slave trade in Greenwich Place, legacy and memory – explore the history of transatlantic slavery in London and Greenwich Greenwich Palace and the Tudors Situated beside the River Thames, Greenwich had been a popular royal residence for centuries Stories of the sea The ships of the Windrush generation The Empire Windrush wasn't the only ship to carry Caribbean passengers to the UK. Find out more about the vessels and people that helped to shape modern Britain Making Waves Stories of incredible women at sea Water and the sea in Shakespeare's plays Explore how water and the sea seeps into Shakespeare's works with the National Maritime Museum Who owns the ocean? Are the oceans really free for all? Find out what could be done to protect marine environments – and who has the power to make it happen Jeanne Baret: the first woman to sail around the world Discover the remarkable story of Jeanne Baret - a tale of disguise, deception, daring and danger at sea The Merchant Navy's role in the Falklands conflict Seafarers, volunteers and nursing officers share their experiences during the Falklands conflict as part of a National Maritime Museum oral history project HMS Challenger: a trailblazer for modern ocean science 150 years ago, HMS Challenger departed England on a quest to explore the world’s oceans. Its impact is still felt today What can shipwrecks tell us? Time-capsules of their present and windows of our past, shipwrecks can offer new perspectives into life on board The end of an oil rig's life What happens to offshore platforms when they are decommissioned? Follow their final journeys from the North Sea to the breaker's yard RRS Sir David Attenborough Inside the UK's new polar research ship A new figurehead for Cutty Sark Nannie the witch has had a makeover. Discover how traditional skills and careful research have breathed new life into Cutty Sark's figurehead History of Cutty Sark Delve into the fascinating history of Cutty Sark - the record-breaking tea clipper which travelled the globe and visited every major world port Space and astronomy Andromeda, Unexpected How three amateur astronomers and astrophotographers changed our view of the Universe The James Webb Space Telescope’s first year of images Royal Observatory astronomer Julienne Hisole looks back on what we’ve learnt from the pioneering space telescope’s first 12 months of observing Artemis Programme: what you need to know about NASA’s Moon missions NASA's Artemis missions aim to land the first woman and person of colour on the Moon, create a lunar base, and lay the groundwork for a future trip to Mars! Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) Mission: All you need to know How habitable are Jupiter's icy moons? Why is the Solar System's largest moon so unique? How did Jupiter, and other gas giant planets, form? Find out how the European Space Agency's groundbreaking JUICE mission will answer these questions and more. Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2022 winners revealed See the spectacular winning images from Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2022 2023 guide to the night sky Find out what to see in the night sky in 2023 with the Royal Observatory's astronomy calendar Guide to meteor showers Want to see shooting stars? Check the key dates for major meteor showers in the UK in 2023 and how to see them in the night sky The Sun and the solstice Find out how the position of the Sun determines the longest and shortest days of the year in this special Royal Observatory Greenwich Illuminates extract What causes the Northern Lights? The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is one of the most spectacular displays in the night sky. What is the science behind these ethereal curtains of light? History of the Great Equatorial Telescope The Great Equatorial Telescope at the Royal Observatory kept Britain at the forefront of astrophysics and greatly expanded our knowledge of stars Women at the Royal Observatory Greenwich Discover the women who worked in and around the Royal Observatory, facing barriers and prejudice due to their gender The new space race: a high-stakes competition of politics and power Competition between the USA, China and Russia will have consequences for all of us here on Earth. But how is this 21st century space race different to the last one? Art and culture A Sea of Drawings: the art of the Van de Veldes Why do artists draw, and what can their sketches teach us about their skills and techniques? Take a closer look with the unique Van de Velde drawings collection An art lover's guide to the Queen’s House Royal portraits, seascapes and cutting-edge sculptures are just some of the masterpieces to see Reunited at last After nearly 40 years apart, the portraits of a married couple have been reunited at Royal Museums Greenwich A closer look at Ship of Fools by Kehinde Wiley From perilous refugee crossings to black history and identity, explore the different meanings contained in artist Kehinde Wiley's work Knotted histories Addressing Britain's colonial legacy through crochet Wayne Binitie and the art of climate change Artist Wayne Binitie explores how ice cores can help us reckon with our changing world Royal history The Solebay Tapestry Discover the story behind the largest tapestry in Royal Museums Greenwich's collection Symbolism in portraits of Queen Elizabeth I Find out more about the Tudor symbols used in portraits of Queen Elizabeth I and discover what they mean Queens of the Queen’s House Greenwich has been a key location for the royal family for over 500 years Greenwich Palace and the Tudors Situated beside the River Thames, Greenwich had been a popular royal residence for centuries Masque and music at the Stuart court Henrietta Maria and Charles I loved to present masques - great spectacles of dance, music, poetry and drama. Discover more royal history Find out about the kings and queens who left their mark in Greenwich and surprising royal connections hidden in our collections Exploration and endeavour The beautiful detail of hand-drawn maps Plot a journey through four special maps in the National Maritime Museum collection Endurance discovered The remarkable footage taken from the wreck of Shackleton's ship will help us piece together the ship's final hours What's it like to camp in Antarctica? Find out what it's like to live and work in the Antarctic with British Antarctic Survey scientist Joanne Johnson History of Antarctic explorers From first sighting to reaching the South Pole, discover the history of exploring Antarctica What happened to the crew of Erebus and Terror? Sir John Franklin's final voyage in 1845 in HMS Erebus and HMS Terror became the worst disaster in the history of British polar exploration The shoes that survived: caring for Captain Scott's shoes Learn how explorer Robert Falcon Scott's ski overshoes were prepared for display in the new Polar Worlds gallery Learn more about polar exploration Read about the thrills, chills and heroic endeavours of polar exploration. The story of time What exactly is Greenwich Mean Time? How did local clock time in Greenwich change the world? Longitude found - the story of Harrison's Clocks Who was John Harrison, and how did his clocks help to solve the problem of finding longitude at sea? Why 12 months in a year, seven days in a week or 60 minutes in an hour? While days and years are (fairly) neat astronomical events, what explains months, weeks, hours and minutes? Learn more about time From Greenwich Mean Time to groundbreaking instruments, it's time to wind back the clock on the history of timekeeping Latest blogs Go behind the scenes with our expert curators, astronomers, conservators and library and archive team Museum blog