Essential Information Type Talks and courses Location Online Date and Times Tuesday 21 March | 5.15pm - 6.30pm Prices Free Join via Zoom As First Lord of the Admiralty from 1911 to 1915, Winston Churchill is best known for his efforts to prepare Britain for war against Germany. He also embarked upon a radical programme of social reform during this period. His efforts included progressive measures such as better pay, improved conditions, and attempts to promote temperance - but there was also a darker side to naval social reform measures. The Admiralty, swayed by a new moral panic about homosexuality, had begun a new campaign to suppress what it called ‘Unnatural Offences’ shortly before Churchill’s appointment. After several failed proceedings and legal missteps, officials eventually settled on a new means of investigating and charging those deemed to have committed so-called ‘offences against morality’, which led to an upsurge in court martial prosecutions. This little-known campaign would thus have significant consequences for gay men in the Royal Navy. Why was this campaign launched and what form did it take? Why is so little known about it? How did it affect the lives of sailors in the Royal Navy? How was the Admiralty’s approach to homosexuality at this time different to that of its predecessors? Join us for a free online talk discussing these difficult and complex issues. Professor Matthew Seligmann (Brunel University London), author of Rum, Sodomy, Prayers & the Lash Revisited (2018), The Royal Navy and the German Threat, 1901-1914 (2012) and Spies in Uniform (2006), will provide new insights by drawing on overlooked Admiralty records that shed light on important files that have been destroyed. Event details This event is free and open to everyone, and will take place via Zoom. There is no need to book; please click on the button below shortly before 5.15pm on the day. Join the event Visit the National Maritime Museum Discover epic stories of exploration and endeavour that have shaped our world today Book free tickets Find out more What’s On More events at the National Maritime Museum. Free displays Sea creatures: real and imagined See this beautiful banner created by Willow Dene School, inspired by maps and monsters in the National Maritime Museum Open daily | 10am-5pm Free National Maritime Museum Exhibitions Astronomy Photographer of the Year See the world's greatest space photography at the National Maritime Museum Open daily | 10am-5pm Adults £10 | Concessions £6.50 | Children £5 National Maritime Museum Free displays | Identity Pioneers: A Renaissance in South Asian Creativity A series of portraits of South Asian creative individuals, on display at the National Maritime Museum. Are you ready to meet the pioneers? Open daily | 10am-5pm Free National Maritime Museum Exhibitions Our Connection to Water Life source, sacred ritual, scarce commodity? Seven artists share what water means to them at the National Maritime Museum Open daily until 25 February 2024 | 10am-5pm Free National Maritime Museum Talks and tours | Member events Flamsteed lecture: Are We Alone? Are we the only technologically advanced beings in the Universe? Find out in this talk by Dr Robin Catchpole. Monday 11 December 2023 | Doors at 6.30pm, event starts at 7.15pm Free | Flamsteed Astronomy Society Members only National Maritime Museum 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 Talks and tours | Identity Seeing Ourselves: Sharon Walters in conversation with... Ekow Eshun Join artist Sharon Walters and writer / curator Ekow Eshun for a discussion exploring representation in museum spaces Wednesday 13 December 2023 | 6pm-8pm Pay what you can National Maritime Museum Workshops | Talks & courses Saturday Art Club Join the weekly creative drop-in for young people aged 13-16 Saturdays from October - April | 10am-1pm Free National Maritime Museum Talks and tours Character Encounters Visit the National Maritime Museum every Saturday to discover a different character from history with their own fascinating story to tell Saturdays Free Entry National Maritime Museum Family fun | LGBTQ+ LGBTQ+ Family Network A safe space for local LGBTQ+ families to meet one another, get involved in creative activities for all ages and explore the stories within the collection 20 January 2024 | 10am-12pm Free National Maritime Museum Family fun | Christmas Members' crafting: Christmas stars Join us for a special Christmas themed craft workshop Sunday 17 December 2023 | 11am-11.45am, 12.15pm-1pm, 1.30pm-2.15pm, 2.45pm-3.30pm Free for Members – booking required National Maritime Museum Family fun Safe Harbour A programme for foster and adoptive families. Monthly: Next date 30 December| 12.30pm - 2.30pm Ticketed | Free National Maritime Museum Talks and tours | Member events New Members' Tour Embark on a voyage of discovery around the Museum in the company of one of our volunteer guides Various dates | 11am - 12pm Free | Booking essential National Maritime Museum Conferences Weaving Waves: The History and Conservation of Maritime Tapestries Join us for 'Weaving Waves', a symposium welcoming speakers and attendees interested in the curation and conservation of maritime tapestries. 12 January 2024 Adults £30 | Members, online, students, unemployed or underemployed, retired, early career researchers £20 National Maritime Museum Family fun SENsory Sailors Come along and enjoy this brand new sensory play session for children with special educational needs Once a month on Saturdays | 11am-12.30pm Free | Pre-booking required National Maritime Museum Talks and tours | Member events Finding horror in the white spaces with Ally Wilkes Find out about the real-life - and terrifying - Antarctic expeditions and tales of the supernatural which inspired author Ally Wilkes Thursday 25 January 2024 | 6.30pm - 7.30pm Free for Members – booking required National Maritime Museum Events and festivals | Identity Lunar New Year Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a whole host of Lunar New Year activities, videos and performances Saturday 3 February 2024 Free National Maritime Museum 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 Events and festivals | Identity Women's History Month 2024 From fearless fighters to female activists, join us to celebrate the contributions and resilience of women throughout history Throughout March Free Entry National Maritime Museum Events and festivals World Oceans Day A family-friendly celebration of our ocean hosted at the National Maritime Museum Returning in 2024 Free National Maritime Museum Events and festivals Windrush 75 Celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush's arrival in Britain, and find your own Windrush connection at the National Maritime Museum Throughout 2023 Free National Maritime Museum Events and festivals International Slavery Remembrance Day Explore the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition at the National Maritime Museum Returning in 2024 Free National Maritime Museum