Greenwich's fascinating, rich and diverse history of royalty, seafaring, science and engineering is celebrated in an array of unique museums, attractions and seasonal exhibitions across the Royal Borough of Greenwich. In Greenwich you really are spoilt for choice of museums and galleries to visit.
Visit the stunning Royal Observatory, home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian, the line of 0º Longitude where you can stand with a foot in both the eastern and western hemispheres. You can explore where the Astronomers Royal lived and worked inside Flamsteed House, visit the world-famous Harrison Clocks, admire the Great Equatorial Telescope and get up close and personal with the stars at the Peter Harrison Planetarium, London's only public planetarium.
At the foot of the hill the National Maritime Museum is a chance to discover all about our proud global maritime legacy at the official home of Britain’s nautical archive and museum collections. There are galleries for all ages, exhibits and fascinating artefacts ranging from the coat Lord Nelson wore at his final conquest, to tales of oceanic endeavours of intrepid explorers like Captain James Cook.
While you’re there, visit the Queen’s House right next door which as well as being a beautiful neoclassical building, today operates as an art gallery, frequently hosting new exhibitions and updated selections of the National Maritime Museum’s incredible art collection.
The Painted Hall in the Old Royal Naval College is a magnificent gallery in itself, comprising 40,000 square feet of walls and ceilings covered in striking images depicting 200 figures including kings, queens and mythological creatures.
The University of Greenwich Galleries has three exhibition spaces, including the Stephen Lawrence Gallery, which aims to promote diversity in the representation of visual cultures, featuring the work of young contemporary visual practitioners from a wide range of disciplines.
Greenwich is also home to the beautiful and iconic Cutty Sark where you can step aboard and explore everything from the dark riches of the lower hold to the fantastic views of London from the main deck.
The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre is home to the Royal Museums Greenwich stored collections and state of the art conservation studios.
This facility is full of inspiring objects which normally would be away from public view. The centre opens up these hidden treasures to the public, along with the skills and expertise of Royal Museums Greenwich conservation and storage teams.
The Fan Museum on Crooms Hill, beside Greenwich Park, is the only museum in the UK devoted to the history of fans and the art of fan making, with collections dating from the 12th century to the present day. At the top of Crooms Hill you'll find the Ranger’s House - an elegant Georgian villa on Blackheath which houses The Wernher Collection, a world-class art collection of more than 700 items amassed by the 19th-century businessman, Sir Julius Wernher.
In nearby Eltham you'll find English Heritage favourite, Eltham Palace and Gardens. Once a favoured medieval palace and then a Tudor royal residence, the palace was transformed by eccentric millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld. Discover their extravagant lifestyle as you explore their stylish home which incorporates original medieval features into an otherwise ultra-modern 1930s design.
For more marvellous museums and glorious galleries, see below!
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