Essential Information Type Events and festivals Location National Maritime Museum Date and Times Returning in 2024 Prices Free Sign up to hear about future events Travel down the Thames and celebrate World Oceans Day at the National Maritime Museum. The National Maritime Museum is home to hundreds of years of seafaring history, from the vast Pacific to the icy Arctic and Antarctic Oceans. But our relationship to the sea is changing. World Oceans Day is your chance to dive into the past, present and future of our blue planet. The 2023 event is now over, but we'll be returning to the sea in 2024. Until then, take a look at all the other ways you can explore our ocean at the National Maritime Museum. Keep up to date Sign up to our newsletter to find out more about World Oceans Day and more events at the National Maritime Museum. Sign up There's more to explore Find more galleries and exhibitions dedicated to our ocean every day at the National Maritime Museum. Free gallery Sea Things gallery Explore the sea through personal stories from the deep Visit now Special exhibition Our Connection to Water Life source, sacred ritual, scarce commodity? Seven artists share what water means to them at the National Maritime Museum Visit now Free gallery Poles Apart: Explore the World of RRS Sir David Attenborough Travel to the icy frontiers of modern polar science at the National Maritime Museum Find out more Free gallery Pacific Encounters Explore the complex legacy of European exploration and how it shaped the Pacific we know today Visit now Free gallery Polar Worlds Discover polar expeditions, indigenous communities, scientific discovery, and Arctic and Antarctic wildlife Visit now Visitor guide Top things to do at the National Maritime Museum Epic tales of exploration, maritime treasures and family friendly galleries Find out more What is World Oceans Day? World Oceans Day takes place on 8 June every year as a celebration of the ocean and our continuing reliance on it. Over 70 per cent of our blue planet is covered in water, and more than half of all the oxygen we breathe comes from ocean plants. We rely on the ocean for food security, transportation, coastal defences and much more. Yet even as we celebrate our oceans, we also need to recognize the negative impacts we are having on our rivers, lakes and seas. Over-fishing, greenhouse gas emissions, chemical and noise pollution, ocean mining, plastic pollution and transportation all threaten the future of our oceans, but too often these issues are out of sight and out of mind. This World Oceans Day, we want to challenge this ‘sea blindness’, and shine a light on what can be done to protect our marine environments. Royal Museums Greenwich is working with several scientific organisations, conservation and community groups to produce free workshops, talks and performances at the National Maritime Museum suitable for all ages. Our annual celebrations take place every year in June, with a host of additional activities, resources and features also available online. Shop eco-friendly gifts Shop Gifts and treats Buy gifts made with recycled and sustainable materials to help reduce plastic waste in the ocean and lessen our effects in polluting the planet Shop now Shop Sustainable living Discover books full of tips and advice on how to protect the planet, reduce your environmental footprint and live more sustainably Shop now Shop Science toys Find learning kits and games to inspire, perfect for budding oceanographers and beginner astronomers Shop now Our Ocean, Our Planet Explore ocean issues, the climate crisis and our changing relationship with the sea online with Royal Museums Greenwich Find out more Main photo By David Troeger on Unsplash Royal Museums Greenwich Close Choose your tickets Book a free World Oceans Day ticket to get information and updates about the event delivered straight to your inbox. You are also welcome to turn up on the day! All activities are first-come, first served. Free event World Oceans Day Saturday 10 June Live music and dance Free family activities Museum entry included Valid for the whole day Free entry Book online BOOK NOW Become a Member Unlimited entry all year Royal Observatory Cutty Sark Planetarium Shows Special exhibitions Direct Debit One-off Individual: £50 Individual: £60 Family: from £60 Family: from £70 JOIN TODAY