Ships and boats

Groundbreaking designs, doomed voyages and technology that crossed oceans

Making Waves: Gail McGarva

Gail McGarva explains how her passion for traditional wooden boatbuilding took hold

Remembering the Sea Empress oil spill

Cliff Benson reflects on how efforts to save oiled sea birds inspired a lifetime's dedication to wildlife protection

Cutty Sark’s new binnacle: charting a course for heritage crafts

A navigational case shines a light on traditional skills – and prompts intriguing questions into the tea clipper’s history

HMS Captain: Britain's forgotten maritime disaster

The historian leading the search for HMS Captain questions why the sinking of 'one of the finest ships in the world' is not better known today.

A playful painting with a pressing problem: help preserve 'The Paddle Steamer "Rob Roy" Aground’

Learn more about this comic scene with a surprising back story – and discover how your support helps care for the national collection.

The bombing of Rainbow Warrior: 40 years on

Forty years ago, the attack on the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior and the death of photographer Fernando Pereira caused international outrage.

A whistle for a life: surviving the Titanic tragedy

Meet steward Cecil and passenger Lillian, two young people whose fates intertwined during the sinking of the Titanic

How Cutty Sark came to Greenwich

The historic tea clipper is one of the most famous sights along the River Thames. But why was Greenwich chosen as Cutty Sark's final home?

Cordage: its origins, construction, properties and uses in ships

Learn more about cordage, also known as rope, including the different fibres used to make cordage and the types of rope most commonly used in sailing ships
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