Essential Information

Location
Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Date and Times Saturday 15 July | 10.30am-4pm
Prices Free

The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre’s Community Day returns on Saturday 15 July, as we celebrate our community and their connection to the collections.  

Centred around the theme of play, this free event is packed with activities for everyone to enjoy, from behind the scenes tours to live musical performances.

Get set for a day of fun and festivity.

Community Day events

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Damaged bear on a black background

Behind the scenes tours

11am, 1pm and 2pm

Discover the range of toys in Royal Museums Greenwich's collection. Come and see games dedicated to Admiral Lord Nelson, get up close to characters from the seaside puppet show Punch and Judy, hear about the adventures of a teddy owned by British sailor Tracy Edwards – and see a very special object from the Titanic.

Tours can be booked at the reception on arrival. Please note places are offered on a first come, first served basis.

Curator talk: Sailor craft

11.15am-11.30am

Whale bone with engravings

Scrimshaw, wood carving and macramé are just some examples of sailors' crafts. Made using readily available materials, these objects were created as gifts for loved ones or as objects for personal use.

Join Hannah Stockton, Curator of Maritime London and Merchant Marine, as she talks to you about some of her favourite sailor crafts – and the creativity behind each of them.

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people sitting in the dark with lights

Talk: Drawing with Light 

11.30am – 12pm

Drawing doesn't always have to be pencil to paper: it is something you do to express yourself with materials that are accessible for all. 

Using LED lights and torches, our SENsory Social Club have explored drawing with light by taking inspiration from Royal Museums Greenwich's collection.

Listen to members of the group talk about their experiences, and hear from Sam Rowland, Photography Studio Manager at Royal Museums Greenwich, as he discusses the techniques he used to capture the images.

Curator talk: Can ship models be playful?

1.15pm-1.30pm

Model of a fighter ship with parts

Royal Museums Greenwich's ship model collection is one of the largest in the world, containing around 3,500 items. It encompasses a broad range of vessels, from an Egyptian funerary barge dating from c.1850 BC to an aircraft carrier of HMS Illustrious, made in 2012.

It is understood that ship models were created to shape our knowledge of the final design, but they weren't all made for that specific reason.

In this talk, Simon Stephens, Curator of Ship Models and Boat Collections will show you a fighter vessel which was made for a very special purpose.

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Family engaging coding workshop

Talk: From play to code – the fun way to create

1.30pm-1.45pm

Coding isn't only about giving a computer a sequence of codes to operate a program. There is a lot of creativity within the process, from designing characters and backdrops to creating movement and story lines.

Join Dave Morley from our CoderDojo club as he tells us why creativity is key to coding and can help support children from an early age to gain transferable skills.

Stand up comedy with Art Laughs

2pm-3pm

comedian standing at the front of a room with microphone in front of an audience

Back by popular demand, Art Laughs returns to The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre with a playful stand-up comedy set. Get ready for an afternoon full of laughs!

Join art critic and comedian, Verity Babbs, who will be hosting this chucklesome segment, alongside comedians Olley Matthews, Stepan Mysko von Schultze and Jamie D'Souza. 

Panel talk: Toy story tour edition 

3.15pm-3.45pm

Chaired by art historian and critic, Verity Babbs, this panel discussion sees comedians Olley Matthews, Stepan Mysko von Schultze and Jamie D'Souza delve into our toy story tour objects.

Throughout the day

Live performances

Performances take place at 10.45am-11am, 12pm-12.30pm, 2pm- 2.45pm and 2.45pm- 3pm

Join us outside to hear original music from singer-songwriter EVA, a jazz performance from musicians at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, poetry readings and music from Plumcroft Primary School singers.

Budding musicians will also get a chance to sing and sign along to the songs.

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An image showing 'Jazz Duo '
An image showing 'Plumcroft Primary School Singers '

Workshop: Invent your own video game

children engaging in a coding activity

Join experts from our CoderDojo club to try your hand at coding throughout the day.

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man performing in room

Poetry workshop

In this uplifting workshop, join poet and visual artist Joel Sydenham to create your own poetry inspired by Royal Museums Greenwich's collection. 

Activity: Creative Construction  

lnspired by sea vessel plans, create your own marine vessel as wild and outrageous as you can imagine. Come and play with recycled card to create your very own sustainable voyager!

 

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man and women talking in a garden

Community Garden 

Come and see the array of plants grown in our garden by members of Wingfield Primary School council, with help from ESOL students (English for Speakers of Other Languages) from Lewisham College.

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Girl dancing outside

Activity: Garden movement games

Make your way to our Community Garden to meet garden movement master, Becky Horne. Discover how objects in Royal Museums Greenwich's collection can inspire you to move creatively. 

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Comic strip display

Explore a comic strip created by participants from Royal Borough of Greenwich Youth services, Creative Arts Hub Greenwich and comic book company, Penificent.

Touching on social issues that young people face today, the piece takes inspiration from drawings in Royal Museums Greenwich's collection.

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Refreshments

All played out and in need of a drink and a bite to eat? You won't have to travel far. 

Enjoy refreshments provided by local pop-up eateries and bars. Why not try one of our playful mocktails, crafted especially for the day by our friends at Eventers London?

Plan your visit

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 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

Getting to Royal Museums Greenwich

Inside the collections storage facility and conservation studio of Royal Museums Greenwich

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.