The ocean

Oceanographer and chief scientist Dr Dawn Wright on diving to the deepest part of the ocean – and why we need to stand up for our blue planet

Are hurricanes and tropical storms getting worse due to climate change – and what can be done to prepare? Professor Ilan Kelman introduces the possible scenarios

Atolls are perceived as being most at risk from rising sea levels. Professor Ilan Kelman explores what the future could hold for these islands in the middle of the ocean

If you're just dipping your toe in the water, here is a guide to the ocean in (increasingly large) numbers

The 19th century voyage that transformed our understanding of the ocean

A rare environment. A shocking transformation. Researchers Anna Crawford and Joseph Shoapik observe the effects of the collapse of the Milne Ice Shelf

The National Maritime Museum's Ocean Map reminds us just how much of the Earth is covered by water – and how important the ocean is to our planet

Invasive species are everywhere in our ocean – but what does it mean when we say a species has 'invaded', and how do they spread in the first place?

Are corals really animals? What causes coral bleaching? And why are coral reefs so important? Your ocean questions answered

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

Oceanographer and chief scientist Dr Dawn Wright on diving to the deepest part of the ocean – and why we need to stand up for our blue planet

Dr Nina Baker became the first female deck cadet in the British Merchant Navy. Listen to her account of a pioneering career

Seafarers Michael Rudder and Dominic Brown spent years working in the Merchant Navy. A chance encounter and a missed departure led to a life at sea together

Author Vanessa Taylor explores how discoveries by the banks of the Thames continue to shape our relationship with the river

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

Learn about Dr Nina Baker’s struggle to become one of the first women navigation officers in the British Merchant Navy

Listen to the stories of women who volunteer with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution – part of a series of recordings by the National Maritime Museum

One sunny afternoon a few years ago, I decided, quite spontaneously, that I needed a sea fix.

In this blog we explore how our ancestors obtained ice in an age before widespread domestic refrigeration.

If a ship runs into trouble in UK territorial waters, an individual known as ‘SOSREP’ is often one of the first to be notified. Who are they, and how do they help prevent disaster at sea?

Explore the legacy of the Sea Empress oil spill, and meet the people working to prevent disaster at sea today

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

Artist Zoe Childerley is embarking on a project with the National Maritime Museum to bring experiences of modern seafarers to light. How did she find her first voyage on board a container ship?

Gordon 'Willie' Williamson worked aboard Thames barges throughout the 1960s, and witnessed the final years of central London as a busy cargo hub

Happy 70th birthday to the fish finger, first introduced to Britain in 1955

For many, Charles Dickens is synonymous with Christmas jollity. However, there was a darker side to Dickens’ work. Not only did he repeatedly refer in his novels and articles to the contemporary filth of the Thames, which culminated in the Great Stink crisis of 1858, he was also actively involved in kick-starting the reform programmes to resolve the issue.

What happens to offshore platforms when they are decommissioned? Follow their final journeys from the North Sea to the breaker's yard

In his work Crossing Border, the Khurdish artist reflects on his experience of fleeing his homeland and crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat: ‘When I look at the artwork I just don’t see a painting. I see a story’

As a new collection of artworks reflecting on migrant experiences opens at the Queen's House, curator Tim May explores the role of physical and invisible borders in the story of migration

Explore printed ephemera at the Caird Library and Archive, a collection that brings to life the golden age of ocean travel.

From maps and mementos to art and commemoration, discover surprising migration stories found in the National Maritime Museum's collection

My Creative Research Fellowship aimed to explore the collections from new perspectives and to engage with audiences in different ways.

Shirley Fox shares her memories of moving to the UK, in a special oral history marking 75 years since the Empire Windrush's arrival in Britain

See the outcome of workshops centred around Refugee Week 2023's theme of Compassion, hosted by the National Maritime Museum in partnership with Lewisham College.

A brief guide to the records, resources and online collections available for people researching Jamaican ancestry.

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