Essential information
| Type | Events and festivals |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and times | 3-4 January 2026 | 10.30am-4pm |
| Members go free. Not a Member? Join now |
It's 'avast!' for the National Maritime Museum's blockbuster Pirates exhibition!
Before this fantastic exhibition walks the plank for the final time, come and celebrate with swashbuckling special talks, events and family-friendly fun.
On 3 and 4 January, we're enjoying one last weekend of pirate-themed adventures. Museum staff will be dressing up in their finest pirate costumes; you can come in fancy dress too!
Follow the history of piracy from the Caribbean to the South China Sea, and discover how our image of pirates has been shaped by film, fashion, literature and more. Budding adventurers can take part in family craft activities, and there will be a treasure trove of talks on offer too.
Saturday 3 January 2026
Gallery talks
These 20-25 minute talks are based on some of the favourite items in the exhibition, and are either included in the exhibition price, or free when located outside the Pirates show.
| Time | Talk | Location | Audience |
| 11am | A brief outline of pirate origins and imagery | Inside the Pirates exhibition | Families |
| 1pm | ‘Black Caesar’: An example of a black pirate | Inside the Pirates exhibition | Teens and adults |
| 3pm | The amazing story of Pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read | Inside the Pirates exhibition | Families |
| 4pm | Why do pirates sound like that? Looking at stereotypes of pirates | Tudor and Stuart Seafarers gallery (free) | Families |
Free craft activities
Cut, stick and create your own pirate hat to wear – so you can talk and look like a pirate! Suitable for pirates of all ages. Collect a card from outside the Learning Space to join a session.
30-minute timed sessions at 10.30am, 11.30am, 1pm and 2pm | Location: Learning Space
Sunday 4 January 2026
Gallery talks
These 20-25 minute talks and workshops are based on some of the favourite items in the exhibition, and are either included in the exhibition price, or free when located outside the Pirates show.
| Time | Talk | Location | Audience |
| 11am | The amazing story of Pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read | Inside the Pirates exhibition | Families |
| 1pm | Pirates! Truth is stranger than fiction | Tudor and Stuart Seafarers gallery (free) | Families |
| 3pm | Barbary Corsairs, Jan Janszoon and the Ottoman slave trade | Inside the Pirates exhibition | Teens and adults |
| 4pm | Why do pirates sound like that? Looking at pirate stereotypes | Tudor and Stuart Seafarers gallery (free) | Families |
An Introduction to the Pirates exhibition
Meet Pete the pirate and discover some of the key stories and objects within the Pirates exhibition. This talk is suitable for pirates of all ages.
30-minute talks at 11.30am and 1.30pm | Location: Outside the Pirates exhibition space
Ahoy there, landlubber!
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