05 Jun 2020
How do you prepare for an expedition to the Arctic?
Sir John Franklin's expedition to map final part of the Northwest Passage departed on 19 May 1845. The two exploration ships, HMS Erebus and Terror were towed from Greenhithe in Kent at 10.30am.
18 May 2020
The making of The Sea Deity with Action for Refugees Lewisham
Artist Eve Shepherd looks back on the creation of a new sculpture for the National Maritime Museum, made in collaboration with Action for Refugees Lewisham.
11 May 2020
200 years of HMS Beagle: Charles Darwin, Galapagos, and an enduring legacy
On 11 May 1820 the ship that would later carry Charles Darwin to the Galapagos Islands was launched. Find out more about the remarkable legacy of HMS Beagle.
08 May 2020
VE Day 2020: searching Second World War Merchant Navy records
Merchant Seamen death records are key resources for anyone hoping to understand the history of the Merchant Navy during the Second World War.
28 Apr 2020
Shipwreck, sickness and pirates: the dangers of working for the East India Company
In this blog we uncover some of the stories which our archives can tell us of the dangers of working in the British Empire in the service of the East India Company
02 Apr 2020
Beneath the Earth's surface: using X-rays to find out how globes were made
Table globes are truly beautiful objects, with historic representations of the Earth and stars captured in intricate detail. But take a look beneath the surface and the marvels get more mysterious...
25 Mar 2020
Dealing with self-isolation: a desert island guide from the real Robinson Crusoe
Think you're struggling with social distancing? At least you haven't started singing to goats... Curator Jeremy Michell uncovers the remarkable real-life story of island isolation which inspired Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.