Greenwich Events in 2018

The Exploration Wing

Four new permanent galleries open in the National Maritime Museum in Autumn 2018. Looking into exploration in its widest sense, each of the four new galleries will bring the themes alive for people of all ages.

Pacific Encounters, Polar Worlds, Tudor and Stuart Seafarers and Sea Things will exhibit 1000 more objects from the collections, and provide access to areas of the Museum previously closed to visitors.

The Great British Seaside: photography from 1960 to present.

The nation’s love affair with the seaside will be celebrated in the National Maritime Museum’s special exhibition for 2018, which will showcase beach photography by some of Britain’s best-known photographers. Opens March 2018.  There will also be a Great British Seaside summer events programme.  Details will be released in early 2018.

Following a major conservation project, the iconic Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I this beautiful historic painting is now on public display.

Recently saved for the nation, this beautiful and historic portrait of commemorates the most famous conflict of her reign – the failed invasion of England by the Spanish Armada in summer 1588.

The spectacular image has inspired countless portrayals of Elizabeth I in film, theatre and television, and has been instrumental in making her one of the most recognisable historical figures today.

Entry to the Queen’s House is free

Ranger’s House is an elegant Georgian villa in Greenwich Park which houses The Wernher Collection, a remarkable collection of works of art amassed by diamond magnate Sir Julius Wernher (1850-1912).

Arranged within the panelled interiors of this graceful mansion is a glittering spectacle of nearly 700 works of art – a sumptuous arrangement of silver and jewels, paintings and porcelain.

Previously only available to visit through daily guided tours, when it re-opens for its visitor season in March 2018, it will be open free-flow, four days a week (Sunday to Wednesday), 11am to 5pm.

Groups of 11 or more can continue to book in advance for group rates and special packages.

Explore Greenwich Peninsula for a flight on the Emirates Air Line cable car; climb the roof of The O2 at Up at The O2; hit a few golf balls at the Golf Driving Range; take in new works of art at the Now Gallery and enjoy a traditional pub lunch at The Pilot.  From North Greenwich pier choose a trip to Greenwich on MBNA Thames Clippers or a 20-minute round-trip speedboat blast with Thames RIB Experience.

 Greenwich Peninsula continues to transform as new homes and attractions continue to be built. Knight Dragon Developments, has permission for over 15,720 new homes, of which 1,889 are currently under construction (completing between autumn 2016 and late 2018).  A creative district is planned next to the NOW Gallery, a new IKEA is opening in 2018 and plans for a new pier have recently been submitted.

A new designer outlet village is opening at The O2 in autumn 2018 in the style of Bicester, Cheshire Oaks and Wembley.  Half of the 205,000 sq ft. village will occupy an upper level space at The O2 and the other half located in a new purpose-built, double height space.

With around 95 units, it will be predominantly retail to complement the existing leisure, food and beverage offer.

Additionally in 2018, The O2 will open a new trampolining park to be run by Oxygen Freejumping and extend the Cineworld multiscreen cinema with 8 new screens and contain the latest 4DX technology as well as the ability to host multiple screenings, premieres and events.

Dinosaurs in the Wild and Walking with Dinosaurs
There are dinosaurs galore on Greenwich Peninsula in 2018! Time travel back to the deep past to encounter living dinosaurs on the trip of a lifetime with Dinosaurs in the Wild. Board the time machine and your adventure begins – in seconds, this pioneering technology will transport you back 67 million years to see dinosaurs with your very own eyes.

Ride across the jaw-dropping Cretaceous plains, where you come face to face with the most awesome creatures ever to live. Then visit an incredible research station where scientists are studying dinosaurs in the past.  Runs 12 to 28 February 2018.

Dinosaurs will once again roam when the globally-acclaimed production, Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular, based on the award-winning BBC Television Series, returns in 2018, starring Michaela Strachan as ‘Huxley’ the palaeontologist.

This updated production will showcase spectacular and colourful changes to the dinosaurs based on the latest scientific research, including the likely feathering of some species.

A new cultural quarter is planned for the Royal Arsenal Woolwich.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich has agreed a £31million investment to transform a series of landmark historic buildings into a 16,500m² creative district along the Royal Arsenal riverfront.

The development will include a large-scale performance venue with capacity for more than 4,000 people, a black box theatre seating up to 450, an open-sided quadrangle courtyard for performance seating up to 600, ten rehearsal studios, artists’ studios and offices for resident companies and public facilities including a cafe and restaurant overlooking the River Thames.

The currently vacant Grade II and Grade II* listed buildings which will be brought back to life include the old ammunitions factory (Building 41), a former cartridge factory, a warehouse, a laboratory, a carriage mounting shop and the Royal Military Academy. The new creative district is expected to open in late 2018.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich, Visit Greenwich, Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust and Greenwich + Docklands Festivals have successfully bid for funding for a three year marketing and cultural programme to promote Woolwich as a cultural and creative destination.

A new programme of festival and events will be delivered to complement the existing heritage offer and places to shop, eat and drink.

A new five-year destination management plan will set out a roadmap to position Woolwich as an emerging niche cultural destination in London.

The Elizabeth line opens between Paddington, Woolwich and Abbey Wood opens in December 2018. It will slash the journey time between Woolwich and the West End.

The route will eventually pass through 40 stations from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21 km tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

NBA Basketball, The O2 – 11 January

The Brit Awards, The O2 – 21 February

The Big Half, a new running event for London, finishing at Greenwich Park with a festival for all the family – 4 March

C2C Country to Country Festival – 9 to 11 March, The O2

English Tourism Week – 17 to 25 March

The 2018 London Marathon, starts in Greenwich Park – 22 April

Royal Greenwich Festivals – spring/summer

Greenwich + Docklands International Festival – 22 June to 7 July

Grand Medieval Joust at Eltham Palace – July

Greenwich Music Time, Old Royal Naval College – 2 to 8 July

Sail Royal Greenwich tall ship event – summer

On Blackheath – September

Totally Thames – September

Greenwich Comedy Festival – September

Nitto ATP Finals, The O2 – November

Blackheath Fireworks – November

Christmas at Greenwich Market – November / December

Panto at Greenwich Theatre, November to January

Disney on Ice, The O2 – December

London Pantomime Horse Race, Greenwich – December

Greenwich Winter Time, Old Royal Naval College – December