Travel Trade and Groups

If you're looking for the home of time, the Meridian Line and a wealth of maritime history, come to Greenwich and visit the famous World Heritage Site.  It’s a compact destination - all the sights are within easy walking distance of each other - making Greenwich a real pleasure to explore on foot.  And most of the fascinating attractions are free to visit.

Start your visit on top of the hill in Greenwich Park at the Royal Observatory or in the town centre in Discover Greenwich, a fascinating contemporary, cultural centre where the history of Maritime Greenwich comes to life.

Why not come for the whole day so your group can enjoy the great range of shops, cafes and restaurants as well as our maritime heritage? Browse our Places to Go page for more ideas for your group day out or try an entertaining guided walk with Greenwich Tour Guides who will be happy to design a walk that fits the specific needs of your particular group..

Parking

There's free parking for coaches on Charlton Way near the Blackheath gate to Greenwich Park and on Norman Road in the town centre. There are two coach parking spaces in Park Row car park on Trafalgar Road/Park Row. There is also a pick up/drop off point in Stockwell Street, opposite St Alfege church where there is a waiting time limit of 20 minutes.

For more information on coach parking in the capital go to Transport for London’s excellent coach parking map: www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/coaches

If your group is a bit smaller than a coachload you might like to travel to Greenwich by Docklands Light Railway, Thames Clipper catamaran, bus, train or riverboat. Our How to Get Here page has all the details.

 

Here’s some ideas for your Group day out in Greenwich...
Discover Greenwich - Old Royal Naval College - National Maritime Museum - Royal Observatory - Fan Museum - Rangers House - Cutty Sark

Discover Greenwich, Tourist Information Centre, The Old Brewery
Make Discover Greenwich your first stop to fully appreciate the special story of Greenwich and its maritime past. Discover Greenwich is a permanent exhibition illustrating the history of Greenwich and the Old Royal Naval College over the last 500 years.  Through rare artefacts, film footage and interactive models, you can explore Henry VIII’s palace, Wren’s Royal Hospital for Seamen and the Old Royal Naval College from Tudor times right up to the present day. Children and adults alike will enjoy the tourist trails and hands-on activities available.

Try your hand at constructing your own buildings.
Test the weight of a jousting lance.
Try on a navy pensioner's hat and coat.
Try a Meantime beer next door at The Old Brewery, a site which used to be the Royal Hospital’s old brewhouse.

The brewhouse piped beer directly to the Pensioners Dining Room in the Undercroft of the Queen Mary Building. Each man had a ration of three pints of ‘restorative drink’ a day.

Greenwich Tourist Information Centre is next door to the exhibition and both are open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm.
www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org/discover-greenwich
Greenwich Tourist Information  0870 608 2000      
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Old Royal Naval College, Painted Hall, Chapel
Formerly the site of Greenwich Palace, birthplace of Tudor sovereigns, and the Royal Hospital for Seamen, Wren’s magnificent baroque buildings later became the Royal Naval College (1873-1998).  Groups of ten or more can enjoy a tailored guided tour with an expert Yeoman who will bring these magnificent buildings to life.

Take in the neo-classical chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul.
Crick your neck staring at Sir James Thornhill’s fabulous Painted Hall.
Get exclusive access to the 140-year-old Skittle Alley and Jacobean Undercroft.

Group tours cost £6.00 per person..
Group catering facilities are also available at The Old Brewery café, bar & restaurant and Leith’s King William Restaurant.

+44(0)20 8269 4791
www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org/visitor-information
www.theoldbrewerygreenwich.com
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National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory, Queen’s House
The National Maritime Museum is comprised of  three sites, the museum itself,  the Royal Observatory and the Queen's House.  Explore Britain’s seafaring past in an award-winning museum filled with maritime treasures and artefacts.

The Royal Observatory is the home of the world’s Prime Meridian. Find out about the history of time and astronomy in this charming Wren building.  Admire John Harrison’s timekeepers and other historic clocks.  Next door is London’s only planetarium, the Peter Harrison Planetarium, a contemporary building with state-of-the-art facilities.

The Queen’s House, England's first Palladian-style building, boasts elegant interiors, including the Tulip staircase and Great Hall.  Designed by Inigo Jones for the Stuart queens, it now showcases a world-class art collection, including works by Gainsborough, Reynolds, Hogarth, Turner and the van de Veldes.

Watch the Royal Observatory time-ball fall at 1.00pm. 
Admire works by Reynolds, Hogarth, Turner in the Queen's House.
See the stars at London’s only planetarium.
Stand astride the Meridian Line, with one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one in the west

Admission is free to the National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory Astronomy Centre and the Queen's House.  Groups on general visits are not required to book in advance.  Find out all about special pricing deals for groups and individuals here. For Planetarium shows and ticketed exhibitions, groups of ten or more should pre-book by calling the Bookings Unit on the number below.

+44 (0)20 8312 6608
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www.nmm.ac.uk/visit/groups-and-schools
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The Fan Museum
This is the only museum in the world devoted entirely to the history of fans and the art of fan-making. A selection of exhibits chosen from more than 3,500 fans from around the world dating from the 11th century to the present day are displayed in changing exhibitions in elegant Georgian buildings.

Have afternoon tea in the tranquil Orangery.
Admire the artistry of the world's fan makers
Relax in the secret, Japanese style garden.

For groups of ten or more, admission to the museum is only £2.50 per person. A guided tour is available at £5 per person (including admission).  Morning coffees, afternoon teas and other refreshments in the Orangery are available for pre-booked groups.

+44(0)20 8305 1441
www.fan-museum.org/group.asp
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Ranger’s House
Admire the remarkable collection of art amassed by diamond magnate Sir Julius Wernher at Ranger’s House, an elegant Georgian mansion in Greenwich Park.  Arranged within panelled interiors you will see a large permanent exhibition of Renaissance objets d’art as well as antique furniture and Georgian paintings.The villa was once owned by the Fourth Earl of Chesterfield.  Sir Julius, a founder of De Beers, made his fortune in the South African diamond mines at the end of the 19^th century.

Take a guided tour arranged by the Friends of the Ranger’s House
Enjoy afternoon tea in the Edwardian Servants’ Room.
Admire the jewellery, antiques and art.
Take a stroll in the Rose Garden

Make sure you plan your visit to Ranger’s House for 1 April to 30 September as it is closed for the rest of the year.Save 15% on tickets for groups of 11 or more.  Coach drivers and tour leaders can enjoy free entry.

+44(0)20 8835 0035
www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout
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Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark is currently closed to the public for conservation work.  It is due to re-open in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.The fastest sailing ship of her day, the Cutty Sark was launched in Scotland in 1869 and sailed initially on the tea route to China. Later she brought back wool from Australia. She has been in dry dock in Greenwich since 1954.

www.cuttysark.org.uk
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