Essential Information
| Type | Events and festivals |
|---|---|
| Location |
In Greenwich
|
| Date and Times | Saturday 9 to Friday 15 September | See page for details |
| Prices | Free |
Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over 2,000 organisations, 5,500 events and 46,000 volunteers. Every year in September, places across the country throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history.
This year, the Queen's House, National Maritime Museum and The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre –home to the Royal Museums Greenwich stored collections and conservation studios – will be joining in the fun!
From guided tours to talks, check below to see what's on offer.
2023 event programme
National Maritime Museum
Saturday 9 September
Treasures Tour
12pm-1pm, 2pm-3pm and 3pm-4pm
Explore some of the Museum’s most prized, and lesser-known, objects on this guided tour – free for this Saturday.
Meet and greet a Fijian canoe; be chilled by tales of polar exploration; marvel at the oldest boat in our collection and learn about life at sea in the age of Nelson.
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- How to book: Walk up tickets are available from the Information Desk, located by the Parkside Café on the ground floor of the National Maritime Museum. Please be aware that tickets are subject to availability.
- Price: Free for 9 September.
- Meeting point: Information Desk, located by the Parkside Café.
- Suitability: The tours are suitable for adults and children.
- Audio headsets: You will be provided with headphones and an audio headset, which allow you to clearly hear the guide and adjust the volume if required. The headphones and headset will be collected at the end of the tour.
- Tour size: Each tour has a maximum capacity of 25 people.
- Accessibility: The tour passes through several galleries located on different floors of the Museum. Step-free access is available via lifts.
Queen's House
Saturday 9 September
The Van de Veldes Highlights Tour
12.30pm-1.30pm and 3.30pm-4.30pm, The Great Hall
To accompany our exhibition The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea, this guided tour uncovers the story of Dutch artists, Willem van de Velde the Elder and Younger.
Find out about their artistic career, their time working in the Queen's House and their influence on British marine art.
Suitable for ages 12+.
The tour passes through several galleries located on different floors of the House. Step-free access is available via lift and access ramps.
The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Monday 11 – Friday 15 September
This year The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre is throwing open its doors with onsite tours, centred around the theme 'Creativity Unwrapped.' Come and discover extraordinary stories of individuals including sailor Tracy Edwards MBE and Lillian Bentham, a passenger on the Titanic.
You will also get the chance to see incredible toys from our collection, from a Punch and Judy puppet to a dominoes set with a turbulent past.
Guided tours
Join one of our free tours and discover the remarkable toys and stories contained within Royal Museums Greenwich's collection.
Timings: Tours will run at the following times:
- Monday 11 September: 10.30am and 3.30pm
- Tuesday 12 September: 10.30am and 3.30pm
- Wednesday 13 September: 10.30am and 3.30pm
- Thursday 14 September: 10.30pm and 6.30pm
- Friday 15 September: 10.30am and 3.30pm
Duration: 45 minutes.
Suitability: The tours are suitable for adults and children.
Price: Free.
Booking: Due to the nature of the site all places on the tour need to be booked in advance.
Plan your visit to The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Tours and tickets
The guided tours are free for all visitors, but please make sure you book a ticket online in advance.
If you are able to support the work of the Collections Centre with a small donation we would be very grateful.
Getting here
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 Way, Kidbrooke, SE3 9QS
By train: You can reach us from central London via direct routes from Cannon Street, London Bridge, Charing Cross and Victoria. Our nearest station is Kidbrooke which is only a 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
Visit the collection
Go behind the scenes at The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre and explore our state of the art conservation studio and collections store.