What’s on at the Greenwich National Maritime Museum

Greenwich National Maritime Museum is the biggest of its kind in the UK, drawing visitors from far and wide to explore its exhibitions and displays.

The museum is tucked in a bustling pocket of Greenwich, neighbouring  the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich Picture house and Greenwich Market.

This tourist hotspot has a full programme of events for children and adults this spring which will delve into women of the  Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the impact of Caribbean culture in Britain and awe-inspiring scenes of the Milky Way.

First up, Women of the RNLI is currently on at the museum and will run until December 1.

To mark the bicentenary of the RNLI, this exhibition celebrates the vital role that women have played in saving lives at sea.

Women of the RNLI highlights women’s pioneering contributions to fundraising, campaigning, technological innovation, training and as members of onshore and offshore crew throughout the RNLI’s history. 

The exhibition features a series of Jack Lowe photographs taken from Lowe’s ongoing Lifeboat Station Project, an attempt to photograph every RNLI station and members of its crew across the country. 

Alongside these images, the exhibition features oral histories of some of the photographer’s subjects, sharing their experiences of life with the RNLI.

From sea to the sky, the Greenwich National Maritime Museum is currently showcasing the winning and shortlisted images from last year’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year – the largest astrophotography competition in the world.

As budding photographers across the globe await the announcement of this year’s winners, the public have the chance to see previous works including awe-inspiring scenes of the Milky Way, vibrant star trails racing across the night sky, and amazing auroral activity.

The exhibition, open every day, features the very best of 4,000 entries submitted from 64 different countries.

Finally, for one day only on May 18, The Caribbean Social Forum is returning for the annual Caribbean Takeover, this time in the Queen’s House.

The Queen’s house  is a former royal residence built between 1616 and 1635, which is now part of the National Maritime Museum and used to display collections of maritime paintings and portraits.

The day will run from 11am to 4pm, celebrating the impact of Caribbean culture in Britain with activities, talks, workshops, food and music.

All visitors, including members, are advised to pre-book all tickets to events and exhibitions at the Royal Maritime Museum at least 24 hours in advance. 

Pictured top: Julianne and Rosalyn in Filey RNLI Lifeboat Station Picture by Jack Lowe featured in Women of the RNLI (Picture: Jack Lowe / National Maritime Museum, Greenwich London)