Essential Information

Type Talks and tours
Location
Date and Times Wednesday 13 December 2023 | 6pm-8pm
Prices Pay what you can

How does it feel to see 'yourself' represented  - or misrepresented - in museum spaces? Join artist Sharon Walters and special guests for a live in-conversation event as they delve into the National Maritime Museum collections to look at depictions of people of African descent and their significance today. 

Writer and curator Ekow Eshun joins Sharon to highlight the power of historic archives in contemporary curatorial practices. The impact and intentions of Eshun’s work will also be discussed. This event will take place in the Lecture Theatre at the National Maritime Museum.

This event is an extension of the 'Seeing Ourselves' podcast, developed by Sharon in collaboration with historians and artists. The project is supported by the National Maritime Museum through the Migration, Heritage and Belonging project.

About the speakers

Image
A photo of Ekow Eshun who stands casually with his arm resting on a tall plinth. He wears a dark blue blazer and black t-shirt.

Ekow Eshun

Ekow Eshun is Chairman of the Fourth Plinth, overseeing the foremost public art programme in the UK, and the former Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London.

He is the curator of exhibitions including, most recently, In the Black Fantastic at the Hayward Gallery, London, awarded the  Association for Art History’s Curatorial Prize for Exhibitions 2023, and author of books including Black Gold of the Sun, shortlisted for the Orwell prize.

Described by The Guardian as a ‘cultural polymath’, he is the writer and presenter of documentaries including the BBC film Dark Matter: A History of the Afrofuture, the Tate Modern film series, Exploring the Black Atlantic, and the BBC Radio 4 series White Mischief. He has contributed to books on artists including Mark Bradford, Kehinde Wiley, Chris Ofili, John Akomfrah and Wangechi Mutu and his writing has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Financial Times, The Guardian and The Observer. He holds an honorary doctorate from London Metropolitan University. 

Image
A photo of artist, Sharon Walters, who is Black woman smiling with blue lipstick and wearing translucent framed glasses and a gingham dress. Her hair is braided and tied up.

Sharon Walters

Sharon Walters is a London-based artist with a fine art degree from Central St Martins. Her current series entitled, 'Seeing Ourselves' is a multi-disciplinary project celebrating Black women, their histories and futures. The work encompasses papercuts, collage works, mixed media works and events in collaboration with various organisations.

The intention of her practice is to empower those who are marginalised to take up space, create our own spaces and develop opportunities to be seen, heard and instigate change.

What’s On

Image of a small proportion of the Sun, which is lit up in golden yellow at the surface and moves to darker colours away from the surface. A golden plume of a coronal mass ejection is coming out of the Sun and flowing parallel to it.
Exhibitions

Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition

See the world's greatest space photography at the National Maritime Museum
Open daily until 11 August 2025 | 10am-5pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
A man dressed in period sailor costume leads a tour of the National Maritime Museum, with kids and parents following behind
Talks and tours

Character Encounters at the National Maritime Museum

Visit the National Maritime Museum every Saturday to discover a different character from history with their own fascinating story to tell
Every Saturday
Free
National Maritime Museum
Close-up shot of a person's hands as they use a felt-tip pen to draw an intricate pattern on a small piece of wood
Workshops

Saturday Art Club

Join the weekly creative drop-in for young people aged 13-16 during term time at the National Maritime Museum
Saturdays from October 2024 - April 2025 | 10am-1pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
The gold hilt of a sword against a dark fabric background. The outline of a human skull has been digitally superimposed on to the right side of the hilt, creating an unsettling central motif
Exhibitions

Pirates

Explore the myth, discover the truth: Pirates at the National Maritime Museum is now open
Open daily until 4 January 2026 | 10am-5pm
Adult: £15 | Student: £11.25 | Child: £7.50
National Maritime Museum
Adults and children enjoying a storytelling session.
Family fun

Play Tuesdays

Bring your under 5 on a different adventure every week! Explore the Museum together through song, dance and stories
Term time Tuesdays | 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.00pm, 2.00pm
£4 per child and accompanying adult | Under 6 months free
National Maritime Museum
A group of four with adults and children participating in a craft.
Family fun

Safe Harbour

Safe Harbour is a series of free workshops created to provide a safe space for foster and adoptive families with children under 13 years
Monthly: Next date 28 June | 12.30pm - 2.30pm
Ticketed | Free
National Maritime Museum
Sensory Sailors
Family fun

SENsory Sailors

Come along and enjoy this brand new sensory play session for children under 13 years with special educational needs
Once a month on Saturdays | 11am-12.30pm
Free | Pre-booking required
National Maritime Museum
(Source of a mother helping the child to draw using a pencil Picture)
Family fun

Discover Sundays

Each Sunday come and explore the Museum's collection through hands on creative activities
Term time Sundays | 11am - 1pm | 2pm - 4pm
Free | Drop-in
National Maritime Museum
The gold hilt of a sword against a dark fabric background. The outline of a human skull has been digitally superimposed on to the right side of the hilt, creating an unsettling central motif
Talks and tours | BSL tours

BSL Tour: Pirates

Join John Wilson for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of our Pirates exhibition at the National Maritime Museum
Thursday 15 May and Saturday 1 November 2025 | 2pm-3pm
Adult: £15 | Student: £11.25 | Child: £7.50
National Maritime Museum
Girls doing craft
Family fun

May half term at the National Maritime Museum

Find fun for all the family at the National Maritime Museum this May
24 May – 1 June 2025 | 11am-4pm
Free | Drop in
National Maritime Museum
Bright graphic with drawings of ships and text saying Thames Visionaries vessels of the future, your ideas, your river, your future.
Workshops

Vessels of the Future masterclass

Join a free masterclass for young people aged 13-18 at the National Maritime Museum to design a vessel of the future!
Saturday 31 May 2025 | 10am-1pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
A child holds her mother's arm as they both peer curiously at a small crab held in front of them
Events and festivals | Ocean Court

World Ocean Day

A family-friendly celebration of our ocean at the National Maritime Museum
Saturday 7 June 2025
Free
National Maritime Museum
Robbie Atatoa at Pacific Encounter Gallery
Workshops

Spotlight on Polynesian traditional crafts: Mangaian carving

Join distinguished Mangaian carver and cultural educator Robbie Atatoa as he leads a special workshop
Wednesday 11 June 2025 | 12.30pm-4.30pm
Adult: £7 | Student: £5 | Child: £5
National Maritime Museum
Group of people sitting facing away from camera on yoga mats on the floor which is a giant map, looking towards instructor
Experiences | Ocean Court

Movement on the Map: Yoga

Get moving on the new Ocean Map with some gentle yoga sessions
Friday 13 June 2025 | 9.30am
Free
National Maritime Museum
photo with a model of a woman, standing on a map and a canvas tent behind her, like an animation
Events and festivals | Refugee Week

Maritime Migration: Film Screenings and Panel Discussion | Refugee Week 2025

Filmmakers, creatives and academics come together to mark Refugee Week
Friday 13 June 2025 | 6.30pm-8.30pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
A portion of the Ocean Map at the National Maritime Museum showing major port cities around Asia and Africa
Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Tour: Ocean Map

Join Tim May, Curator of Maps and Mobilities, to learn how the new Ocean Map was developed and about the deeper history of ocean-centric cartography
Monday 16 June 2025 l 11am-12pm
Free for Members
National Maritime Museum
Close-up view of a woodblock-style illustration of pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Bonny is in the centre holding a lamp, while Read is off to the right
Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Lecture: Pirate Queens

Join Dr Rebecca Simon to delve deeper into the lives of two of the most infamous female pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, who terrorised the Caribbean in and around Jamaica
Thursday 19 June 2025 l 6.30pm-7.30pm
Free | Members only
National Maritime Museum
Detail of a photograph showing the ship Empire Windrush docked at Southampton Harbour in 1950
Events and festivals | Ocean Court

Windrush Day 2025

A day of creative workshops, informative talks and discussion to explore the significance of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush and the legacies of the Windrush generation
Saturday 21 June 2025 | 11am - 4pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
Print of the Royal Observatory Greenwich
Talks and tours | Member events

Flamsteed Lecture: 350 years of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich

Join Dr Louise Devoy, Senior Curator, as we celebrate three and a half centuries of perseverance, ingenuity and public duty at Royal Observatory Greenwich
Monday 23 June 2025 | 7.15pm
Flamsteed Members: FREE | Guests of Flamsteed Members: £15 | Royal Museums Greenwich Members: £12
National Maritime Museum
Photograph of the entrance to the National Maritime Museum
Events and festivals | Member events

Members' Summer Party

Join fellow Royal Museums Greenwich Members for a fabulous evening at the National Maritime Museum
Tuesday 1 July 2025 l 6.30pm-8.30pm (Sold out)
Free for Members – booking required
National Maritime Museum
Events and festivals

Teachers' Evening 2025

Celebrate the end of term at the National Maritime Museum and find out about schools sessions, resources, CPD and project opportunities at all Royal Museums Greenwich sites
Thursday 3 July 2025 | 4.30pm-7pm
FREE for UK school teachers and educators
National Maritime Museum
A group of people stretch their arms to the side
Experiences | Ocean Court

Movement on the Map: Tai Chi

Find your flow in these gentle sessions on the Ocean Map
Friday 4 July 2025 | 1pm-1.30pm and 1.45pm-2.15pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
Portrait photo of the band Blue Machine, featuring the group of four stood on board historic ship Cutty Sark
Events and festivals | Museum Lates

Ocean Songs

Live music at the National Maritime Museum celebrating our ocean planet, its mythology, natural wonders and as-yet-undiscovered depths
Friday 11 July 2025 | 7pm and 8.30pm
£10
National Maritime Museum
A dance leaps beside Nelson's Ship in a Bottle sculpture
Events and festivals | Ocean Court

Rhythm!

Go with the flow at our vibrant dance festival, inspired by the ocean and movement
Saturday 12 July 2025 | 11am-5pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
A mother and daughter sit on the Great Map during World Ocean Day at the National Maritime Museum
Family fun | Ocean Court

Ocean: above and below

Dive into an ocean adventure at the National Maritime Museum this summer!
Daily except Mondays | 23 July - 31 August 2025
Free
National Maritime Museum
A Black man wearing green sunglasses and a geometric patterned top stands contemplatively by the River Thames
Events and festivals | Ocean Court

International Slavery Remembrance Day

Explore the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition at the National Maritime Museum
Saturday 23 August 2025 | 11am-5pm
Free
National Maritime Museum
A drawing of a Royal Naval Auxiliary tanker seen in starboard-quarter view, turning in the River Thames off Greenwich. In the background is the Old Royal Naval College. There is a black smoke coming out of the top of the boat
Conferences

Britain, Conflict, and the Sea conference

This conference seeks to explore the ways in which modern Britain has been shaped by ideas and practices of maritime war.
Friday 12 September 2025 9am-5.45pm | Saturday 13 September 9am-3.30pm
Adult £50 | Postgraduate Researcher/Student £25
National Maritime Museum