Come Aboard Everybody's Welcome
From oak ships to jet engines, our museums and collections explore centuries of change through the people who shaped life at sea, and the world as we know it today.
Our stories are told on the very ships and aircraft where history happened: places you can step inside and experience, from defining moments in time to the tough everyday realities of life on board.
Climb aboard HMS Caroline and put yourself in the shoes of the crews who made her a true legend. The last surviving ship from the battle of Jutland, a visit to HMS Caroline gives you the chance to walk the decks where history was made.
After sailing the seas in North America and the West Indies, HMS Trincomalee has many stories to share. Come and see what makes this oldest floating warship in Britain so special.
Prepare to Launch Take your seat in the cockpit and discover stories of courage, ingenuity and life at full throttle.
Enjoy stories and experiences told through world‑famous ships, spanning the age of sail to the modern day. As you explore galleries and the waterfront, these stories unfold through original objects and interactive moments that invite you to look closer.
HMS Riot-Quelling Invasion-Stopping Anti-Slavery Trincomalee
Come and visit the oldest British Warship still afloat. After sailing the seas in North America and the West Indies, she has many stories to share.
Ernie: A Sailor’s Lucky Charm Beneath the Waves
Gus Britton didn’t just carry orders with him when he went to sea. He carried a small version of himself. Somewhere inside the tight, oil-scented hull of HMS Uproar, among the hum of machinery and the tension of war patrols, hung a hand-knitted sailor. His name was Ernie and Gus had made him.
Bootnecks and Green Lids
The new Royal Marines Experience is coming to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard soon. Find out if you have what it takes to be a Royal Marine.
Meet The Great Survivor
HMS Caroline made it out Jutland - the largest clash of battleships in history. Now she’s ready to share her story in Belfast.
A Fish Out Of Water
The Swordfish might not have been as sleek or as swift as her comrades, but she certainly made up for it in other ways.
See History In The Making
HMS Victory is entering one of the most important chapters in her conservation story. As part of the £42m The Big Repair, Victory’s remaining masts and bowsprit have been carefully removed by our specialist team using a 750-tonne crane. It is the first time since the early 1890s that Nelson’s flagship has stood without all her masts.
This is conservation on a scale few people will ever witness. And you can see it for yourself.
HMS Victory remains open throughout the work, giving you the chance to step aboard, walk her decks and discover the story of Nelson, Trafalgar and the Royal Navy while her future is being secured around you.
From summer 2026, new viewing points at the stern will open up fresh perspectives on the conservation work, bringing you closer to areas of the ship most visitors have never seen before.