Essential information
| Type |
Talks and tours
|
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and times | Thursday 12 November 2026 | 7-8.30pm |
| Prices | Adult: £20 | Student: £15 | Members: £10 |
| Discount for Members. Not a Member? Join now |
Delve deeper into our collection of more than 2.5 million objects on our specialist tours and talks series, led by one of our expert curators, researchers or conservators.
The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre is home to Royal Museums Greenwich's stored collections and state-of-the-art conservation studios. Since the development of our new collections centre in 2018, we are able to share our hidden treasures with the public, and showcase the skills and expertise of our conservation and storage teams.
Our specialist tours and talks will be centred around a different theme or topic each time.
Next tour topic: Mary Lacy
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Reconstructing the Remarkable Life of Mary Lacy, the First Female Shipwright
Thursday 12 November | 7-8.30pm
What did it take for a woman to build a career in the Royal Navy's male-dominated world of the 18th century?
Join Royal Museums Greenwich for Delve Deeper, an exclusive, curator-led evening at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre in Kidbrooke. Discover the extraordinary story of Mary Lacy, who ran away from home in 1759, adopted the identity of William Chandler and trained as a shipwright at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard.
Led by Ben Weddell, Doctoral Researcher, this special tour brings Mary Lacy's story to life through her autobiography and objects from the Royal Museums Greenwich collection. Explore what these historical sources reveal about her remarkable life, the world she inhabited and the challenges of reconstructing the past.
Discover how these objects can shed light on her life and work, and explore how the wider collections can help us reconstruct the story of a woman whose experiences were both ordinary and extraordinary for her time.
What you'll discover on this Delve Deeper tour
- The remarkable life of Mary Lacy: Discover how she left home, assumed the identity of William Chandler and pursued a career in shipbuilding.
- History through original sources: Explore how Mary Lacy's autobiography helps researchers reconstruct her experiences.
- The stories objects can tell: Find out how historical objects in the Royal Museums Greenwich collection can shed light on individual lives and the wider maritime world.
- History through expert research: Hear from Ben Weddell, Doctoral Researcher, about the research and interpretation behind Mary Lacy's story.
Go behind the scenes of maritime history
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The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre is home to Royal Museums Greenwich's stored collections and conservation studios.
Delve Deeper tours offer a unique opportunity to explore the stories held within these collections through specialist research and a different theme each time.
Rather than simply reading about history, when you visit the Centre, you can discover how researchers use historical documents and objects to piece together the lives of people who might otherwise be overlooked.
Plan your visit
What are the Delve Deeper tours at Royal Museums Greenwich?
Delve Deeper is a series of specialist talks and tours at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre in Kidbrooke.
Each session explores a different subject through the Royal Museums Greenwich collection and is led by an expert curator, researcher or conservator.
Where will the tours take place?
This tour will be held at The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre, our state of the art conservation and collection centre in Kidbrooke.
How do I get to the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre?
The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre is a quick, easy journey from central London by rail or via local bus services.
Address: The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre, Nelson Mandela Road, Kidbrooke, SE3 9QS
By train: You can reach us from central London via direct routes by Cannon Street London Bridge, Charing Cross and Victoria. Our nearest station is Kidbrooke which is only 5 minute walk away.
By bus: The following buses stop near the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre: 178, B16, 286, 132
By car: There is limited parking space in our car park but we will prioritise parking for visitors with disabilities. Please pre-book, otherwise we cannot guarantee a place. E-mail: ppmcc@rmg.co.uk
When is the next Delve Deeper tour?
The Mary Lacy Delve Deeper session takes place on Thursday 12 November 2026, from 7pm to 8.30pm.
How much do tickets cost?
Tickets cost £20 for adults, £15 for students and £10 for Royal Museums Greenwich Members.
Is the venue accessible?
PPMCC is fully wheelchair accessible.
We prioritise parking for visitors with disabilities. Please pre-book, otherwise we cannot guarantee a place. Email us to book: ppmcc@rmg.co.uk
If you have other access needs, please email us ppmcc@rmg.co.uk.
What’s on
Find more events at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre.
Visit the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
The state-of-the-art conservation studio and storage centre