World Ocean Day

Essential information

Type	Events and festivals
Location	National Maritime Museum
Date and times	Saturday 6 June 2026
Prices	Free

Plan your visit to the National Maritime Museum

Celebrate our brilliant blue planet this World Ocean Day at the National Maritime Museum.

Meet ocean experts, enjoy live music and science shows, play games and get stuck into craft activities: we’ve got plenty to float your boat!

World Ocean Day at the National Maritime Museum is a free family festival held every year in June. Enjoy a jam-packed day of performances and activities, explore the galleries and play in Ocean Court, the largest space in the Museum and the place to connect with our watery world.

Full line-up coming soon: tap the arrows below for a taste of what's to come, and get ready to dive into our amazing ocean on Saturday 6 June.

Live performances

Enjoy music and dance from every corner of our blue planet with a line-up including singer songwriter Roxanne Tataei, Beats of Polynesia, the Trinity Laban Latin Band and PULSAR. There will also be a brand new interactive performance from storyteller Olivia Armstrong. Through movement and play, sound and imagination, Olivia will tell the biggest story of all: that of the ocean itself!

Timings coming soon

Meet ocean experts

Greenpeace UK will be bringing a very special guest to the National Maritime Museum this year: a giant inflatable octopus! Have a chat beneath its tentacles to learn how we can protect life in the deep ocean.

You can also find out about the incredible life right here in the Thames with the Creekside Discovery Centre, or meet the Manta Trust and learn about some of the most magical creatures in the sea. And of course, our very own curators will be selecting some special ocean-themed objects from the collection for you to touch and explore. Stalls will be open throughout the day: full programme coming soon.

Talks and tours

Take a deep dive into our ocean with special guests, and explore the galleries of the National Maritime Museum with a series of free talks and tours.

Talks schedule coming soon

Arts and crafts

Get stuck into a range of fun activities with our ocean friends, including placard making with Surfers Against Sewage and a puffin puppetry workshop with CoastARTS. Plus listen to Sounds of the Ocean, a wonderful series of sound pieces created by students from Newhaven School in Greenwich as part of our annual partner school programme.

Full programming coming soon

Plan your visit

Do I need to book?

World Ocean Day at the National Maritime Museum is free and there's no need to book. If you'd like to book free Museum tickets in advance, we'll be able to send you useful visitor information in advance via email.

Can I reserve a space at a particular activity?

All activities and performances will operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and it's not possible to book slots in advance.

While capacities are limited for some events, most talks and shows will be repeated multiple times. Other stalls will be open all day, so if something is busy when you arrive you can always return later.

Travelling to Greenwich

Greenwich is a quick, easy train journey from central London via train or DLR. There are also plenty of bus, walking and cycling routes serving Greenwich. For full details check our getting here guide.

There is a secure car park at the National Maritime Museum which is open to visitors during weekends, bank holidays and school holidays. Spaces can be reserved in advance when booking tickets.

Finding your way around

A full programme including an event map will be published online shortly, and copies will be available throughout the Museum on the day.

What is World Ocean Day?

A scene showing the main 'Ocean Court' area of the National Maritime Museum outside of visitor hours. The space is large, with a domed glass ceiling and blue-painted walls

World Ocean Day is a global event that takes place on 8 June every year. The day is a celebration of the ocean and our continuing reliance on it.

Activities at the National Maritime Museum are guided by the UNESCO Ocean Literacy Principles, helping us to recognise the impact the ocean has on our lives – and the effect we have on the ocean.

Throughout the year we also publish regular stories, interviews and insights connected with our ocean. Check out recent stories below, and find all ocean content here.

Our relationship with the sea is changing. Discover how the ocean impacts us – and we impact the ocean – with the National Maritime Museum.