16 Nov 2017
Young, female and powerful: Was Elizabeth I a feminist?
Over 450 years ago, Elizabeth I became queen of England. She reigned over a Golden Age, withstood moral criticism and became adept at image management and power dressing. Women in power today relate to her experiences. But can we claim a 16th century monarch as a feminist?
04 Nov 2019
‘A dog, but a sailor at heart’
Discover the story of Just Nuisance, the only dog ever enlisted in the Royal Navy
17 Aug 2021
‘A Female Sailor bold’ – how disguise and daring helped women run away to sea
We have all heard the saying ‘clothes maketh the man’. Perhaps it’s doubly true for women – especially those women who disguised themselves in order to run away to sea.
14 Apr 2026
‘A very good library’
This month we investigate the history of the old library at the Royal Observatory and discover some of its astronomical treasures which are today in the Airy Collection of the Caird Library and Archive.
04 Nov 2015
‘God preserve us all!’: Samuel Pepys and the Great Plague
The Great Plague was one of the worst disasters in London's history. Samuel Pepys's diaries provide a fascinating insight into how Londoner's dealt with this tragedy.
02 Sep 2015
‘London’s Burning’: Samuel Pepys and the Great Fire of London
Curator Kristian Martin on Samuel Pepys and the Great Fire of London – and how to bury your parmesan cheese...