Check out the latest digital events, virtual tours and videos from Royal Museums Greenwich, and learn more about the sea, space, history and creativity.

"I am alone now"

Astronaut Michael Collins had a unique perspective on the Apollo 11 missions. While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped on the Moon's surface, Collins saw Earth as no one else had done before...
Find out more Read more about space exploration

Highlights

Rowan Mersh joins the Queen's House collection
Royal Museums Greenwich has acquired a new work, 'Asabikeshiinh Aeris', by English sculptor Rowan Mersh
Royal history
Find out about the kings and queens who left their mark in Greenwich and surprising royal connections hidden in our collections
Family activities to do at home
Find great learning ideas for kids, and join our online classes and virtual play sessions
2021 guide to the night sky
Find out what to see in the night sky in 2021 with the Royal Observatory's astronomy calendar
Crisis at sea: COVID-19's stranded seafarers
Hundreds of thousands of seafarers have been unable to return home during the coronavirus pandemic. It's time to make their voices heard
Ships, Sea & the Stars
Join presenter Helen Czerski and a host of curators and special guests as they pick some of the favourite objects and stories from our collections
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

What’s On

Check out our online events, talks and virtual tours. See everything that is happening
Images of different coloured stars, a nebula, a supernova and a blackhole
Planetarium shows

Stellar Encounters

Learn about the lives of stars from birth to death in this live online planetarium show
Weekends and school holidays | Select times from 11am - 3pm
Images of each planet in the solar system and the Sun
Planetarium shows

Solar System Discovery

Explore our own little corner of the universe in this live online planetarium show
Weekends and school holidays | Select times from 11am-3pm
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Access events

SENsory Social Club

Join the weekly online club for adults and young people with SEND
Fridays during term time | 1.30pm – 2.30pm
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Talks and courses

Introduction to Astrophotography

Learn how to take images of the night sky in our online introduction to astrophotography course
Mondays | 7pm-9pm | Check for full course dates
Telescope
Talks and courses

GCSE Astronomy for Adults

Acquire a rigorous scientific understanding of the universe with the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Tuesdays: 6.30pm-9pm
Talks and courses

Introduction to Astrophysics

Explore topics at the cutting edge of scientific research and the limits of human knowledge
Tuesdays 7–9pm | See page for full details
Member events

Life on Mars? In Conversation with Paul Meacham

Hear all about the ExoMars project aiming to reach Mars and learn more about one of our nearest neighbours
Wednesday 12 May | 6.30pm-7.30pm
Whale tooth
Talks and courses

'Always watching for distant sails’? New England Women and the Sea, 1790-1890

Dr Lisa Norling explores the history of New England shipping, fishing and whaling from the vantage point of the women on shore.
Tuesday 18 May 2021 | 5.15pm - 6.15pm
Stack of books
Member events

Members' Book Club: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Join us online for our next Members' Book Club session
Wednesday 19 May | 6.30pm-7.30pm
Portrait of Queen Victoria by Sir George Hayter
Evenings & Lates

The Objectification of Royal Women's Bodies as Symbols of the State

In conversation with leading women historians discussing how the public role of royal women is defined by gender
Monday 24 May | 6pm-7pm
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Evenings & Lates

Science In Science Fiction

How accurate are science fiction films? Separate fact from fiction with astronomers from the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Friday 28 May at 7pm
Images of Chinese constellations, the Earth, Moon, Mars, Crab supernova and some spacecraft
Community astronomy

Chinese Astronomy Online

From stars to space exploration, explore ancient and modern Chinese astronomy in this virtual planetarium show, led by a Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer
29 May and 19 June, 10am BST
Family fun

Holiday to Space

Travel across the Solar System and help Ted plan for a holiday on another planet
1 June 2021 | 11am-12pm
Photograph of the ship, Belgica, stuck in the ice
Member events

Madhouse at the End of the Earth in conversation with Julian Sancton

Learn about the ill fated expedition of the Belgica in this exclusive Q&A session
Wednesday 2 June | 6.30pm-7.30pm
Planetarium shows

Out of this World: Mars

Join astronomers from the Royal Observatory for an exploration of the red planet - Mars!
3 June | 11am–12 noon
Member events

Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits: In discussion with the curators

Discover more about our brand new exhibition from the curators themselves
Thursday 10 June | 6.30pm-7.30pm

Democracy, Strategy and the Navy on the eve of the First World War

Dr David Morgan-Owen offers a new perspective on the relationship between the people, the government and the Navy in Britain before 1914
22 June 2021 | 5.15pm - 6.30 pm

Stories of the sea

The extraordinary life of Grace O'Malley
Discover the story of the pioneering 16th century pirate and seafarer – and her surprising links with Greenwich
What is a mermaid?
Tales of mermaids date back to the first written accounts of humanity, but how much do we know about the mythical sea creatures?
A history of sea shanties
From sailor songs to TikTok sensations, find out more about the history of the sea shanty, and discover the meanings behind 'The Wellerman' and other famous examples
How can shipping be more environmentally friendly?
The shipping industry produces million tonnes of CO2 every year. Could a new era of wind power help make global trade more sustainable?
A rum deal: The origins of Nelson’s blood
Rum has long been a part of Britain's maritime heritage - but what is the real history of Nelson's Blood? Find out more about rum and the Navy below.
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

When is the next full Moon?
Check the dates for every full Moon throughout the year, and learn about lunar phases, 'supermoons' and more
Guide to meteor showers
Want to see shooting stars? Check the key dates for major meteor showers in the UK and how to see them in the night sky
NASA's Perseverance rover: everything you need to know about the new Mars rover
NASA's new rover is ready to begin searching for life on Mars
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
2021 guide to the night sky
Find out what to see in the night sky in 2021 with the Royal Observatory's astronomy calendar
Space exploration
Find out more about current and future space missions, and take a trip back through the history of the space race.

Royal history

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

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
The race to the South Pole: Scott and Amundsen
What was the race to the South Pole and who reached it first?
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?
Why do the clocks go back?
Marking the end of British Summer Time, the clocks go back in October, giving us an extra hour in bed. But why do the clocks change?
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