Essential Information

Type Talks and tours
Location
Date and Times 22 May, 5 and 20 June 2025 | Tours start at 3.30pm
Prices Adult: £5; Adult (includes a signed copy of the book): £20 | Adult Member: Free; Adult Member (includes a signed copy of the book): £18

Discount for Members. Not a member? Join now

From privileged officers to working-class sailors, the representation of naval personnel has been a significant branch of British art for over 500 years.

Join Dr Katherine Gazzard, Curator of Art (Post-1800) at Royal Museums Greenwich, for a unique tour of the Queen’s House, exploring the complex and often surprising history of this fascinating artistic tradition. She will share highlights from her book, The Art of Naval Portraiture, which charts the historical evolution of the Royal Navy’s image from the sixteenth century to the present day.

Through the extraordinary artworks on display in the Queen’s House, the tour will decode the meaning of naval symbols, delve into the stories of artists and reveal the places where portraits were made and displayed. Each tour will focus on a different set of portraits.

Included is an opportunity to purchase a signed copy of the book at the discounted price of £20 (RRP £30).

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Captain Richard Grindall (1750-1820) and Katherine Grindall (1759-1831) with their sons
Captain Richard Grindall (1750-1820) and Katherine Grindall (1759-1831) with their sons

Tour information

  • Dates: Thursday 22 May 2025; Thursday 5 and 20 June 2025.
  • Time: Tours at 3.30pm.
  • Duration: 30-45 minutes.
  • Tour size: 20 people.
  • Meeting point: Undercroft, located through the door between the curved exterior staircases. 
  • Prices: £20 for adults and £18 for adult members including a signed copy of the book The Art of Naval Portraiture. £5 for adults and free for members without a copy of the book.  
  • How to book: Tickets can be bought online or at the Admissions Desk, located in the Undercroft.
  • Meeting point: Undercroft, located through the door between the curved exterior staircases.
  • Suitability: Suitable for adults. 
  • Accessibility: The tour passes through several galleries located on different floors of the House. Step-free access is available via lift and access ramps. 
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Curator Katherine Gazzard works on a laptop by a window with views of Greenwich Park
Katherine Gazzard, Curator of Art (Post-1800) at Royal Museums Greenwich

About the Curator

Dr Katherine Gazzard is the Curator of Art (Post-1800) at Royal Museums Greenwich. She has taught courses on art history and museum studies for the University of East Anglia and Yale University. Her research focusses on eighteenth-century British art, especially portraiture, and the cultural history of the Royal Navy.

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Book cover of The Art of Naval Portraiture with a sailor on the front
The Art of Naval Portraiture by Katherine Gazzard

About the book

For centuries, naval portraits have forged, reinforced and challenged ideas of gender, heroism and loyalty. They have functioned as icons of empire, demonstrations of professionalism and personal mementoes for loved ones.

The portraits featured in the book The Art of Naval Portraiture reveal how the Royal Navy was viewed at different moments in history and grant us access to individual stories, revealing the concerns and aspirations of people and families caught up in naval affairs. 

This book also tells the stories of specific artists, collectors, and the places where portraits were made and displayed, from private homes to public exhibitions and ultimately Royal Museums Greenwich itself.

Unable to attend the Curator Tour but interested in the book? Purchase a copy of The Art of Naval Portraiture on our online shop. Every purchase supports the work of Royal Museums Greenwich.

What’s On

Mistress Babbington character actor at the Queen's House
Family fun

Character Actors at the Queen's House

Meet historical characters connected to the Queen's House and take part in exciting performances
Sundays | 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm
Free
Queen's House
Soprano Lizzie Holmes, DEBUT
Events and festivals

DEBUT at the Queen's House

A night of enchanting classical music as part of DEBUT's acclaimed 'Secret Concerts' series
Thursday 19 June and Thursday 4 September 2025 | Performances at 6.45pm and 8.15pm
Adult: £30, Child: £25 (plus £3 booking fee) | Adult Member: £27, Child Member: £22
Queen's House
Portraits of Queen Consort Henrietta Maria and King Charles I
Events and festivals

Charles I & Henrietta Maria: 400th wedding anniversary

King Charles I and Queen Consort Henrietta Maria invite you to celebrate their landmark wedding anniversary with a programme of activities at the Queen's House
From 11 to 23 May 2025 (see page for details)
Varying prices (see page for details)
Queen's House
A woman looks at the painting of Elizabeth I known as the 'Armada Portrait', hanging in the Queen's House
Workshops

Artist Masterclass: Portraits Drawing Workshop

Develop your portrait skills in this special guided workshop, led by artists Federico Baeza-Autillo and Sarah E Shaw
Select Fridays and Sundays between May and September 2025 | 10.15am-12pm
Adult: £20 (plus £3 booking fee per booking), Adult Member: £15.00
Queen's House
Queen's House Loggia
Experiences

Queen's House Classic Treasures Tour with drinks on the balcony

Head to Greenwich for a new refreshing and effervescent tour experience
Select Sundays between May and September 2025 | Tour at 3.30pm
Adult: £20 (plus £3 booking fee per booking); Adult Members: £15
Queen's House
The Sailor [Maurice Alan Easton] - Cropped
Talks and tours

The Queen's House Curator Tour: The Art of Naval Portraiture

Join Dr Katherine Gazzard, Curator of Art at Royal Museums Greenwich, for a unique tour of the Queen’s House, exploring the complex and often surprising history of naval portraiture
22 May, 5 and 20 June 2025 | Tours start at 3.30pm
Adult: £5; Adult (includes a signed copy of the book): £20 | Adult Member: Free; Adult Member (includes a signed copy of the book): £18
Queen's House
A woman points out something of interest in a painting to a family group
Family fun

May half term at the Queen's House

Find free workshops, character encounters and creative activities for all ages inside Greenwich's historic villa
25 May - 1 June 2025 | See page for timings
Free
Queen's House
Trinity Laban Concert in the Queen's House Great Hall
Events and festivals

Lunchtime Concerts at the Queen's House

Enjoy musical performances in the Queen's House given by students from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance 
Select Wednesdays (see page for details) | 1pm-2pm
Free, drop in
Queen's House
A woman gazes at portraits of historic figures. Three paintings are displayed in a gallery in front of her
Workshops | Member events

Members' Artist Masterclass: Portraits Drawing Workshop

Develop your portrait skills in this special guided workshop, led by artists Federico Baeza-Autillo and Sarah E Shaw
Friday 13 June 2025 | 10.15am-12.15pm
Free | Members only
Queen's House
An image showing a market woman holding and selling a pineapple. She is next to a basket full of other fruits.
Talks and tours | Salons in the Queen's House

Salons in the Queen's House: The Seeds of Survival

In this free lunchtime talk historian Akosua Paries-Osei will explore the empire-disrupting botanical knowledge of enslaved women
Wednesday 25 June 2025 | 1pm-1.30pm
Free
Queen's House