What’s On Spr in g 2 013
national maritime museum | royal observatory greenwich the queen’s house | cutty sark
If you’d like to… ... learn more, you might like… n Trace
your Family History: p. 23 The Great Map: p. 8 n John Peacock on Van Dyck and Henrietta Maria: p. 7 n Maritime Lecture Series: Jane Austen and the Navy: p. 9 n Treasures of the Caird Library: p. 23 n
... get musical, you might like… n From
Landscape to Soundscape: p. 3 Afternoon Tea and Piano Recitals: p. 4 n Free Live Music in the Sammy Ofer Wing: p. 3 n
... let your creative juices flow, you might like… n Creative
Writing Workshop: p. 3 Ansel Adams Late: p. 3 n London Waterways Photography Competition: p. 4 n Upcycling with Fabrications: p. 13 n
... explore deep space, you might like… n Visions
of the Universe: p. 5 From Atoms to Aliens: p. 16 n Saturday Space Explorers: p. 16 n Fingerprints of the Universe: p. 16 n
Design for Flower bed, 2013 © Alice Kettle
... get behind the scenes, you might like… n Cutty
Sark Curator’s Tours: p. 20 The Universe through an Astronomer’s Eyes: p. 5 n Alice Kettle in conversation: p. 13 n Behind the Scenes at the ship model stores: p. 19 n
... bring all the family, you might like… n National
Maritime Museum family fun: p. 10 Cutty Sark family fun: p. 21 n Pirate Party: p. 21 n Museums at Night: p. 17 n Thames Foreshore Litter Clean-Up: p. 4 n
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Introduction Contents 2
National Maritime Museum
The world’s largest maritime museum, filled with inspirational stories of discovery and adventure at sea.
Of course, we do much more than just exhibitions: our events programme is a huge part of what we offer, and the AA spring is bursting with lates, lectures, film screenings, tours, workshops, and activities for all ages. From Ansel AA Adams to Jane Austen, performance artD to pirate parties, live music to tracing D your F AA +5 family history, to getting your hands dirty D +5 F and A AA along 0-5 cleaning the Thames – do come explore everything we have going on. AA +5 0-5 +6 And don’t forget you can enjoy everything all year round for less by becoming a Member!
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The Queen’s House
2012 was a momentous year for Royal Museums Greenwich, and 2013 looks set to build on this success with the final months of the extraordinarily popular Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea, which has captured the imagination of critics and public alike: don’t miss it before the end of April. Our new exhibitions include the extraterrestrial Alien Season at the Royal Observatory, textile artist Alice Kettle launching our contemporary art programme at the Queen’s House, and Visions of the Universe (opening in June), revealing the incredible beauty of space and the wonders of astronomy photography.
A beautiful royal villa and England’s first truly classical building, now home to a world-class collection of paintings.
Royal Observatory Greenwich
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The home of Greenwich Mean Time, the Prime Meridian of the World, and London’s only planetarium.
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Cutty Sark The last surviving tea clipper and the fastest and greatest of her time, newly re-opened in all her glory.
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Calendar
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We look forward to welcoming you soon. Dr Kevin Fewster Director
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NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM
Last chance to see The Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 1942. Photograph by Ansel Adams © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust
Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea Until 28 April 2013 Special Exhibitions Gallery Sammy Ofer Wing Open late on Thursdays until 20.00 Ansel Adams is the most popular and arguably the most influential photographer in American history. Famous for dramatic and evocative landscapes, he produced iconic and beautiful images of American nature. The forests, mountains and coastlines of the US provided a rich environment for Adams’s pioneering photography, and this exhibition brings together his most powerful and striking pictures of water in all its forms; from awe-inspiring images of epic seascapes, dramatic rapids and geysers, to crashing waterfalls, placid ponds, raging rivers and beautiful ice-locked landscapes.
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A must-see exhibition for lovers of photography, with over 100 original prints that range from tiny images of extraordinary detail up to three of his ground-breaking photographic murals, each almost three metres high. Find out more at rmg.co.uk/anseladams Buy a range of Ansel Adams gifts at shop.rmg.co.uk
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BOOK NOW
Tickets: Gift Aid price £7 £6 concessions | £2 children This price includes a voluntary donation; tickets excluding this donation are also available. More information, p. 27.
Members go FREE Images supplied by the Collection Center for Creative Photography, The University of Arizona; ©2011 The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust. Exhibition organized by the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts. Support for the exhibition was provided by David H. Arrington, and the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona.
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Ansel Adams events Ansel Adams Late
Free Live Music
Thursday 14 March
Thursdays 4, 11, 18, 25 April 18.30 – 19.30 | Sammy Ofer Wing foyer Drop in and listen to live piano music from students at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. F D
Find Yourself at the Water’s Edge 18.00 – 21.00 Free with your exhibition ticket* Activities, workshops and performances designed to channel your own creative responses to the sea and the exhibition. Places limited, allocated on first-come first-served basis.
Ansel Adams: a Son’s Perspective 18.30 – 19.30 | NMM Lecture Theatre £10 or £15 with pre-talk exhibition entry | Members £9 A rare opportunity to hear Michael Adams, son of Ansel Adams, talk about his father’s childhood, his visits to the American South-West, and his involvement with the Sierra Club.
From Landscape to Soundscape: New Musical Responses to Ansel Adams 20.00 | Sammy Ofer Wing £7 | Members £6 Experience the exhibition with a live orchestral soundtrack inspired by Adams’s spectacular photographs. Original pieces of music will be performed in the gallery by Trinity Laban’s Contemporary Music Group, as you wander among the waterscapes. Tonight’s performance is the final of the Daryl Runswick Competition and will be co-judged by Adams’s son Michael.
Sunday Salon – Creative Writing Workshop Sunday 24 March | 14.30 – 17.00 Sammy Ofer Wing £25 | Members £22 Learn to uncover the narratives in photographs: using images in the exhibition, discover different ways of writing about vast landscapes and explore how to use Adams’s epic photos of sea, surf, lakes and rivers in writing your own fiction and non-fiction. Led by author and creative writing tutor Shaun Levin.
Sunday Salon – Access Event Sunday 24 March | 12.00 – 13.00 Meet at Sammy Ofer Wing reception desk | Free British Sign Language tour of the exhibition with John Wilson followed by a screening of a documentary about the artist’s life and work. F
*exhibition tickets available for timed entry slots at 18.00 and 18.45
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Ansel Adams events Reflections: Beginners’ Meditation Course Thursdays 7, 14 and 21 March 9.00 – 11.00 | Sammy Ofer Wing £60 for full course | Members £54 A unique opportunity to learn the basics of meditative practice surrounded by Adams’s black-and-white waterscapes. In association with Greenwich Community College.
Extreme Photography in the Archive Thursday 4 April | 19.00 – 20.00 Sammy Ofer Wing £5 | Members £4 Join expert curators to investigate our collection of photography by polar explorers and other photographers working in extreme conditions.
Sunday Salon — Afternoon Tea and Piano Recitals Sundays 7, 14, 21, 28 April 14.00 – 15.00 £14 or £46 for a group of four Members £7 or £26 Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance students perform on a baby grand piano in response to the exhibition, with tea served at your table. Ticket includes exhibition entry before or after the event.
Thames21 London Waterways Photography Competition 2013 Channel your inner Ansel Adams and capture the beauty of London’s waterways. Shortlisted entries will be displayed in the Museum with a first prize of £250. For more information visit thames21.org.uk
Greenwich Thames Foreshore Litter Clean-up Saturday 2 March | 10.00 – 12.00 Free | Meet at Stanhope entrance Get your hands dirty and clean up your river. Plus discounted £5 entry to the Ansel Adams exhibition. F
East London Boat Trips Saturday 16 March 10.30, 12.00, 13.30 | Free Location off-site Following a short presentation of Ansel Adams’s photographs, cast off on an hour-long narrow boat trip exploring the waterways of East London. F
Secrets of the Thames – Foreshore Photowalk Sunday 17 March | 10.00 – 12.00 £7 | Members £6 Meet at Stanhope entrance Bring your camera and capture the hidden nooks and crannies of the Greenwich foreshore with a Thames21 guide and a photography coach. Thames21 is an environmental charity (registered number 1103997) working with communities to improve rivers and canals for people and wildlife.
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Coming soon:
Visions of the Universe 7 June – 15 September 2013 Special Exhibitions Gallery Sammy Ofer Wing Open late on Thursdays until 20.00 Visions of the Universe will showcase over a hundred captivating images of stars, planets, galaxies and many other celestial highlights, bringing together some of the best astronomical photographs ever made. The exhibition will feature photographs from NASA, the Russian space programme and some of the greatest telescopes in the world, as well as the winning images from the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. Find out more at rmg.co.uk/visions
Visions of the Universe Late
Summer Science Talk
Thursday 13 June | 18.00 – 21.00 £5 | Members £4 A private view for the public: be the first to enjoy the exhibition after dark in opening week. Entry to the exhibition will be included in your ticket but restricted to timed slots. Book early to get your preferred slot.
Thursday 27 June | 19.00 – 20.30 Peter Harrison Planetarium £10 | Members £8 The return of our annual series of planetarium shows about the latest discoveries in space, narrated live by some of the UK’s brightest astronomy researchers.
The Universe through an Astronomer’s Eyes
Visit rmg.co.uk/visions for full event details.
Thursday 20 June | 18.30 NMM Lecture Theatre £8 | Members £7 Join astronomer and curator, Marek Kukula, for a talk and guided tour of the exhibition. Horsehead Nebula by Martin Pugh, Winner of Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2009
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Thursday Lates The Women’s Royal Naval Service, 1917–19
Film screening: The Draughtsman’s Contract
Thursday 7 March | 18.45 – 19.45 NMM Seminar Room | FREE Explore manuscripts from the Museum collections detailing the birth and short life of the First World War Wrens. See p. 23 F
(Peter Greenaway, 1982, Cert 15) Thursday 21 March | 19.00 NMM Lecture Theatre £6 | Members £5 Enjoy a lavish 17th-century murder mystery, with a beautiful score, elaborate costumes, and gruesome twists…
Ansel Adams Late Thursday 14 March
Find Yourself at the Water’s Edge 18.00 – 21.00 Free with your exhibition ticket* An evening of activities, workshops and performances inspired by the Ansel Adams exhibition. See p. 3
Ansel Adams: a Son’s Perspective 18.30 – 19.30 | NMM Lecture Theatre £10 or £15 with pre-talk exhibition entry | Members £9 Ansel Adams’s son Michael talks about his father’s life. See p. 3
From Landscape to Soundscape: New Musical Responses to Ansel Adams 20.00 | Sammy Ofer Wing £7 | Members £6 Experience the exhibition with a live orchestral soundtrack inspired by the spectacular photographs. See p. 3 *exhibition tickets available for timed entry slots at 18.00 and 18.45
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Fingerprints of the Universe Thursday 28 March | 19.00 NMM Lecture Theatre £5 | Members £4 Explore the fascinating complexities of cosmic microwave background radiation, led by Dr. Hiranya Peiries from University College London.
Londonist Liquid Pub Quiz Thursday 4 April | 19.00 £5.50 or £16 for team of four | Members £5 or £14.40 A night of aquatic facting in London’s only pub quiz dedicated to water, from the high seas to the Olympic pool. In association with The Greenwich Tavern and Londonist.com.
Film screening: Sense and Sensibility (Ang Lee, 1995) Thursday 11 April | 19.00 £6 | Members £5 NMM Lecture Theatre A special screening to complement our Jane Austen lecture series: enjoy the 1995 Sense and Sensibility starring Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant.
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
Thursday Lates Ravilious: Submarine
Film screening: The Tempest
Thursday 25 April NMM Lecture Theatre | 19.00 FREE A lively illustrated talk from author James Russell about one of the enduring artistic achievements of World War II; the striking series of lithographs by Eric Ravilious, bringing to life the strange, intense world of life on board an L-class submarine. F
(Julie Taymor, 2010, Cert. 12) Thursday 30 May | 19.00 £6 | Members £5 A recent take on Shakespeare’s classic, the main character Prospero now the female Prospera, played by Helen Mirren alongside Ben Whishaw, Jeremy Irons and Russell Brand.
John Peacock on Van Dyck and Henrietta Maria
Thursday 13 June | 18.00 – 21.00 A private view for the public: be the first to enjoy the exhibition after dark in opening week. Entry to the exhibition will be included in your ticket but restricted to timed slots. Book early to get your preferred slot. Visit rmg.co.uk/visions for full event details. See p. 5
Thursday 2 May | 19.00 The Queens House | £6 | Members £5 Van Dyck expert, John Peacock, discusses the fame and fortune of the artist at the court of Charles I and Henrietta Maria, and the glamorous portraits he painted of the Queen. See p. 13
Film screening: To Kill a King (Mike Barker, 2003, Cert. 12) Thursday 9 May | 19.00 NMM Lecture Theatre £6 | Members £5 Bringing alive the era soon after the Queen’s House was built, the fascinating story of the relationship between Oliver Cromwell and General Fairfax, following the deposition of Charles I.
Archive Late: Trace Your Family History
Visions of the Universe Late
The Universe through an Astronomer’s Eyes Thursday 20 June | 18.30 NMM Lecture Theatre | £8 Astronomer and curator Marek Kukula gives a talk and tour of the Visions of the Universe exhibition. See p. 5
Jane Austen and the Navy: Archive Event Thursday 27 June | 18.45 – 19.45 NMM Seminar room | FREE View Austen family manuscripts from the Caird Library collection and explore the author’s links to the Navy. See p. 23 F
Thursday 23 May | 18.30 – 19.30 NMM Seminar Room | Free See p. 23
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National Maritime Museum Galleries and Displays Special display: Broadsides! Caricature and the Navy, 1756 – 1815 Until 30 April | FREE Witty and entertaining but with a sharp political bite, caricatures have been a popular satirical art form since the 18th century. Drawing on the Museum’s own extensive collections this display explores the world of the Royal Navy through the comic lens of caricature, illuminating the battles, the politics, and the big personalities at play. F
above: Jack in a White Squall, Amongst Breakers, coloured etching, Thomas Tegg, 1811.
Special display: Arctic Convoys FREE Marking the 70th anniversary of the first Allied Arctic convoy to Russia during the Second World War, this exhibition provides a fascinating insight into this gruelling campaign and the remarkable endurance of the men involved. Through contemporary photographs, paintings by war artists, and artefacts from the sailors themselves, discover how the Arctic convoys contended with severe cold, extreme weather conditions and the constant threat of attack by German U-boats and aircraft to supply millions of tonnes of vital supplies to the Soviet Union. F
Above: Torpedomen of the light cruiser HMS Jamaica
The Great Map Opens 22 March | FREE Venture onto our brand-new giant interactive world map to discover more about some of the most famous, infamous and exciting events in Britain’s maritime history. Walk across the map’s surface, use a touch-screen tablet to find out more about seafaring stories; and understand from live data the currents and winds that drive vessels and people across the world’s oceans and seas. F
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Maritime Lecture Series
Jane Austen and the Navy Thursdays 11.00 – 13.00 7 March – 11 April NMM Lecture Theatre £8 per lecture | Members £6 and Conc £48/£36 for the whole series 2013 marks the bicentenary of the publication of Jane Austen’s celebrated Pride and Prejudice. To mark this occasion we are hosting a series of lectures discussing Austen and her links with the Navy. Join us for a fascinating in-depth look at Georgian Britain and its dependence on seafaring. 7 March – Dr James Davy: The Navy in the Time of Austen 14 March – Prof. Jonathan Mee: Conversations and Austen 21 March – Prof. Claire Lamont: The Nation and Austen 28 March – Curator Amy Miller Perceptions of the Navy in Mansfield Park 4 April – Prof. Emma Cleary: “Lydia used to want to go to London”: Jane Austen’s View of the Metropolis 11 April – speaker tbc Above: East Indiamen in the China Seas c.1820 – 30, William John Huggins, oil on canvas, National Maritime Museum, Ministry of Defence Art Collection
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British Maritime History Seminars 5 March Circuits of knowledge: the Royal Navy and the Caribbean, 1756 –1815
19 March The Royal Navy and British national identity in the two World Wars Seminars held in the Bedford Room, Institute of Historical Research, University of London, Senate House, London WC1E 7HU For more information visit rmg. co.uk/conferences or contact 020 8312 6716 or research@rmg.co.uk
Coming up in July…
Nelson Navy Nation Maritime Lecture Series To complement the new permanent gallery opening at the National Maritime Museum this autumn, Don’t this summer’s Maritime Lecture miss Series explores the themes of the gallery, assessing how integral the Navy was to Britain during the period. Keep checking rmg.co.uk/ adultlearning for details.
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National Maritime Museum family activities April school holidays Monday 1 April – Friday 12 April
Play Tuesday: secrets of the sea
The Great Map
Tuesdays 2 and 9 April 10.30 – 12.30 | 13.00 – 15.00
Be the first to experience our new interactive installation, the Great Map; learn its secrets and mark your stories on the map for others to see.
Somewhere special to me… Every day 11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00 Where in the world is your special place? Share your story with your family and mark it on the Great Map. F D AA
A journey to remember Every day 12.00 | 13.00 | 14.00 | 15.00 People travel across the world for many reasons. Meet some characters from the past and hear incredible stories about their journeys. F D +6
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Pirate Party Sunday 5 May 11.00 – 16.00 Cutty Sark and National Maritime Museum Come on a swashbuckling adventure with all your family. Join us in a pirate takeover at the National Maritime Museum and on board Cutty Sark for a fun-filled day of activity that’ll shiver your timbers! Booty to be won by the best-dressed pirates. For further information and to book visit rmg.co.uk/pirateparty
On top of the world Mondays 1 & 8, Wednesdays 3 & 10, Fridays 5 & 12 April 11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00 Invent a game to play with your family on the Great Map. F D AA
News flash! Tuesdays 2 and 9, Thursdays 4 and 11 April 11.00 | 13.00 | 15.00 Create a news story about a famous voyage by sea. Collect free tickets from the ticket desk. F AA
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May school holidays Monday 27 May – Friday 31 May
A thread, a stitch, a story revealed Inspired by Alice Kettle’s textile installation in the Queen’s House, discover how the clothes we wear today tell stories of fashions and fabrics travelling across the sea to reach Britain.
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National Maritime Museum family activities Stitch-up Every day 11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00 Contribute to a giant textiles installation by drawing someone you know using colourful threads. F D AA
Weave together Every day 11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00 Create a giant tapestry full of words, colours and patterns to tell us why you love your favourite clothes and where they came from. F D AA
John Morgan: voice of a lascar Monday 27, Wednesday 29, Friday 31 May 12.00 | 13.00 | 14.00 | 15.00 Journey with South Asian lascar, John Morgan, as he tells you about the people, places and ideas that shaped his life bringing fabrics, spices and tea to Britain. F D
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Creative cargo: ideas trolley 11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00 Tuesday 28, Thursday 30 May How did people in Britain first get a choice of fabrics and patterns to wear? Become a detective and explore the ‘Traders’ gallery to find clues. F D +6
Weekly activities throughout the year Explore Saturdays Every Saturday 12.00 | 13.00 | 14.00 | 15.00 Meet a character from the past and take part in an exciting performance that will bring maritime history to life. F D +6
Discover Sundays Every Sunday 11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00 Be inspired by Britain’s maritime past and uncover some surprising connections to the sea. What does the sea mean to you? F D
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Play Tuesdays Every Tuesday 10.30 | 11.30 | 13.00 | 14.00 £3 per child with an accompanying adult. Young children can have fun with their families as they explore the Museum through making, music, dance and stories. 0-5
Play Tuesday: story mix Tuesday 28 May 10.30 – 12.30 | 13.00 – 15.00 0-5
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THE QUEEN’S HOUSE Mother’s Day: Pride and Prejudice afternoon tea
This beautiful royal villa, completed around 1638 for Charles I’s queen, Henrietta Maria, features the National Maritime Museum’s world-class collection of paintings. Designed as England’s first truly classical building, Inigo Jones’s Palladian masterpiece features the elegant Tulip Stairs and the awe-inspiring Great Hall, a perfect 40-foot cube.
Sunday 10 March | 12.00 – 16.30 Great Hall and South Parlours, Queen’s House £30 | Members £25 Treat Mum to afternoon tea and live music from Gone with the Winds quintet in the beautiful surroundings of the Queen’s House, before retiring to the Orangery for a screening of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightly.
The Queen’s House displays include works by artists such as Gainsborough, Reynolds, Hogarth, Turner and the van de Veldes, portraying the history of our maritime past. Discover the beauty of this collection, the role the Queen’s House played in the development of Maritime Greenwich, and the history of its royal occupants.
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Art at the Queen’s House Alice Kettle: The Garden of England 14 March – 18 August 2013 The inaugural project of the new Royal Museums Greenwich contemporary arts programme, The Garden of England is a series of three new works by major British textile artist Alice Kettle. Drawing on the Museum’s portraits collection, it celebrates the monarchs and courtiers of the Queen’s House and its original setting as a garden retreat, capturing the richness and flamboyance of the Stuart court. Discover the installations by the Tulip Stairs and in the North-West Parlour.
Akleriah in residence: Quedenraha
John Peacock on Van Dyck and Henrietta Maria
Saturday 23 March | 11.00 – 16.00 Queen’s House | FREE For the Garden of England exhibition, performance art group Akleriah take up residence in the Queen’s House with a cast of costumed musicians and dancers experimenting with traditional hand crafts and ‘up-cycled’ consumer waste. F
Thursday 2 May | 19.00 Queen’s House | £6 | Members £5 Van Dyck expert, John Peacock, discusses the fame and fortune of the artist at the court of Charles I and Henrietta Maria, and the portraits he painted presenting the Queen in an endurably glamorous and sympathetic light.
Upcyling with Fabrications
Alice Kettle in conversation
Saturday 30 March | 11.00 – 16.00 Queen’s House | FREE Inspired by Alice Kettle’s textile work, make your own rosette from recycled material, with expert advice from Barley Massey from Fabrications studio in Broadway Market. F
Above left: Queen Henrietta Maria, studio of Sir Anthony van Dyck, C. 1638 Above right: Design for Flower bed, 2013 © Alice Kettle
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Friday 7 June | 19.00 Queen’s House | £6 | Members £5 Hear Alice Kettle in conversation with our curator, discussing her work and the themes and inspiration for her installations.
Guided tours of The Garden of England Wednesdays 27 March, 25 April, 29 May, 26 June | 15.30 Queen’s House | FREE Your chance to hear more about Alice Kettle and the inspiration behind her project in the Queen’s House. F
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ROYAL OBSERVATORY GREENWICH Stand on the Prime Meridian of the World Every place on Earth is measured in terms of its distance east or west from the Prime Meridian of the World at Greenwich — Longitude 0°0'0". Stand at the centre of world time with one foot in the west and one foot in the east, take photos on the Meridian and purchase the official Meridian Line certificate.
Tickets: Gift Aid price £7 concessions £5 | under 5s free This price includes a voluntary donation; tickets excluding this donation are also available. More information p. 27. Avoid the queues and book ahead online at rmg.co.uk/observatory
Buy an Astro Ticket for combined Observatory admission + Planetarium ticket, saving up to £7. Or save even more with our Big Ticket including admission to the Observatory, Cutty Sark, and major exhibitions.
FREE for Members
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Your ticket also includes:
Astronomy courses
Flamsteed House and the Astronomer Royal’s apartments
Take your interest in astronomy further with a range of courses for all levels from six-week beginners’ introductions to two-year courses. Subjects include space travel, practical astronomy, digital astrophotography, the science of aliens, solar physics, planetary geology and more – visit rmg.co.uk/astrocourses
See where these remarkable men lived and worked observing and charting the stars.
Sea clocks to telescopes Discover John Harrison’s sea clocks used in the race to determine longitude, and telescopes which have changed our understanding of the night sky.
Plus Meet figures from the history of the Royal Observatory come to life n Catch daily presentations bringing key objects, events and people alive n Take a gallery tour of the ‘Time’ and ‘Longitude’ galleries n
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Royal Observatory events Fingerprints of the Universe Tuesday 28 March 19.00 NMM Lecture Theatre £5 | Members £4 Explore the fascinating complexities of cosmic microwave background radiation, led by Dr. Hiranya Peiries from University College London.
From Atoms to Aliens 30 March – 14 April daily 13.00 | 14.00 | 15.00 | 16.00 Astronomy Centre £5 family ticket Interactive family science show including demonstrations and hands-on activities, bringing alive the evolution of the Universe and how scientists have pieced it together. D +7
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Anvilled Stars: the Meteoritic Mirrors of Matthew Luck Galpin Sunday 28 April 14.00 Endeavour Room FREE Join artist Matthew Luck Galpin and meteorite expert, Dr Caroline Smith, as they discuss Galpin’s art installation on display at the Royal Observatory. Discover the connections between art and science, handle some real rocks from space, then join the artist for a guided tour of his work. F
Saturday Space Explorers 27 April, 25 May 14.00 – 16.30 Astronomy Centre FREE Drop-in family workshops making space and astronomy fun for younger visitors. Make cardboard astronomy such as planet finders and moon dials for star-gazing at home. F D +7
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Royal Observatory events Museums at Night: Explore Your Universe Saturday 18 May 17.00 – 20.30 A fun evening of events and activities as part of Museums at Night, including the planetarium show We Are Aliens, interactive family science show From Atoms to Aliens, Ask the Expert sessions, and Make a Planet Finder workshops, making an instrument to track which planets are up in the sky tonight. See p. 16 for more information on these free activities, which run throughout the evening. For exact times check rmg.co.uk/events D
Summer Science Thursdays 23 May and 27 June 19.00 – 20.30 Peter Harrison Planetarium £10 adult | Members £8 Our annual series of special planetarium shows returns with the latest discoveries in space, narrated live by some of the UK’s brightest astronomy researchers. In May Dr Leigh Fletcher from University College Oxford presents Exploring the Giants, investigating our on-going efforts to understand the gas-giant planets. For June’s programme check rmg.co.uk/events
Ask the Expert 30 March – 14 April daily and 25 May – 2 June daily 13.30 – 16.30 FREE Meet experts working on cutting-edge projects in astronomy and space exploration and ask them about the scientific questions they are trying to answer. F D +7
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
Alien Season How have our ideas about aliens changed over the centuries, and do we really know what’s out there? Our Alien Season explores perceptions of extra-terrestrial life in science and culture throughout the centuries…
Alien Revolution FREE exhibition From 1 March From the earliest ideas inspired by the Copernican Revolution to the potential scientific detection of alien worlds orbiting other stars, our imaginations have always been fired by the possibility of other life ‘out there’. Explore the development of thinking about aliens, influenced by religion, literature, philosophy, art and film over the centuries. F
The Great Moon Hoax, lithograph in the New York Sun, 28 August 1835
SciFi Film Nights Thursdays 16 May and 20 June 18.45 – 20.45 Peter Harrison Planetarium £7 | Members £5 Monthly screenings (continuing in July and August) of classic early science-fiction films starring the best in alien life forms! Discover the inspiration behind the films – including Invaders from Mars, War of the Worlds, and The Day the Earth Stood Still – and find out about the science behind the +11 fiction from our astronomers. Wh at ’s O n
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Peter Harrison Planetarium
Brand new
state-of-the-art technology
Planetarium shows We Are Aliens An exciting new planetarium show as part of our Alien Season, exploring how understanding life on Earth guides the hunt for alien life elsewhere in the Universe. Travel with us to Mars, Europa and planets beyond to try to answer the question… are we alone?
Sky Tonight Live Travel through the night sky with a real astronomer on a captivating journey across time and space, with the opportunity to ask the astronomer questions afterwards.
Meet the Neighbours See the stars in a whole new light in a spectacular cinematic experience at London’s only planetarium. Enjoy a breath-taking journey across the Universe with a variety of shows for all ages, capturing the complexity, beauty and wonder of our night skies. To check which shows are playing during your visit go to rmg.co.uk/space Tickets: Adult £6.50 Child/Concessions £4.50 Family (2+2 or 1+3) £17.50 Members free
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Decide which of the neighbouring planets in our Solar System you want to visit in this interactive show presented by a Royal Observatory astronomer.
Space Safari Join Ted the teddy bear on a journey of live music and rhyme as he travels throughout the Solar System looking for the Great Bear in the sky. FREE
for Members
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
No.1 Smithery at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham State-of-the-art ship model stores at No.1 Smithery
Behind the scenes at the ship model stores
No.1 Smithery houses one of the finest collections of ship models in the world, holding over 3000 objects from the National Maritime Museum and Imperial War Museum in state-of-the art storage facilities. Public access to stored collections can be arranged by prior appointment, Thursday – Saturday, 10.00 – 16.00: please contact shipmodels@rmg.co.uk or 020 8312 6561 for further information. Throughout the year there are also events offering exclusive behind-the-scenes visits to see ship models not on public display, and to find out more about their history.
Saturday 20 April FREE 10.30 | 12.00 | 14.30 tour Take a peek behind the scenes, explore the ship models and find out about their conservation, storage and preservation. Tours last approximately one hour and are free, although if you wish to visit other sites at the Historic Dockyard a charge for admission applies. Numbers are limited so please book in advance on 01634 823 815
No.1 Smithery is a joint project between the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, the National Maritime Museum and the Imperial War Museum, and forms part of the Historic Dockyard, Chatham, an 80-acre site with historic buildings, museum galleries, historic warships and a vibrant programme of events and activities. For more information on the Historic Dockyard Chatham visit thedockyard.co.uk
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CUTTY SARK
BOOK NOW
Cutty Sark is the last surviving tea clipper, a magnificent living testimony to the bygone, glorious days of sail and a national icon of British maritime history. Come aboard and walk along the decks in the footsteps of the merchant seamen who sailed her over a century ago. Explore the hold where precious cargo was stored on epic voyages, and venture directly beneath the ship to view the elegant lines of the hull which made Cutty Sark the fastest and greatest of her time. For further information or to book a ticket visit rmg.co.uk/cuttysark Principal Sponsor
Tickets: £12 | concessions £9.50 children £6.50 Members and under 5s free Family tickets available. Save more with our Big Ticket including admission to Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory and special exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum.
Curator’s tours 21 March | 18 April | 23 May | 20 June 15.30 – 16.30 £15 (including admission charge) Members and concessions £12 Join curator Jessica Lewis for a tour of Cutty Sark and her history. The ship was originally designed to last just 30 years: over 140 years later, come and discover the secrets of her success and learn about the recent conservation project to preserve her for future generations.
FREE for Members
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Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
Cutty Sark family fun FREE* with your entry ticket Cutty Sark family fun weekends First Saturday and Sunday of each month | 11.30 – 16.00 Join in with making-workshops, actor performances and more, all linked to the ship and her stories. F
Spring bank-holiday weekend
May school holidays Journeys across the sea Monday 27 – Friday 31 May 11.30 – 16.00 Did you know it took Cutty Sark around eight months to sail to China and back to collect tea? Imagine being at sea for that long! What would you take with you? How would you feel? Find out more from the ship’s longest-serving captain, have a go at packing your own sea chest, and create adventures together with craft activities throughout half term. Event dates vary, please check rmg.co.uk/events F D AA
Easter Egg hunt Friday 29 March – Monday 1 April 11.30 – 16.00 Cutty Sark’s chickens have been laying their eggs in some strange places… how many can you spot around the ship? F D
AA
Spring school holidays Cutty Sark stories Sunday 31 March – Thursday 11 April (excluding 5 & 8 April) 11.30 – 16.00 Join us to celebrate the first anniversary of Cutty Sark’s re-opening with ship-shape fun for all the family. Make a ship puppet to take on an adventure, listen to tales from Captain Woodget, Cutty Sark’s most daring Master, design your own figurehead to take home or add your favourite stories to our special story ship. Event dates vary, please check rmg.co.uk/events F D AA
Pirate party Sunday 5 May 11.00 – 16.00 Cutty Sark and National Maritime Museum Come on a swashbuckling adventure with all your family. Join us in a pirate takeover on board Cutty Sark and at the National Maritime Museum for a fun-filled day of activity that’ll shiver your timbers. Booty to be won by the best-dressed pirates! This event is ticketed. For further event information and advance booking, please visit rmg.co.uk/pirateparty AA
*unless otherwise stated
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
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Caird Library and Archive Trace your family history
Did you know… …the National Maritime Museum can help you trace your family history, with the most comprehensive maritime archive in the world covering merchant ships and seamen, and the Royal Navy? Get access to manuscripts, modern and rare books, charts and maps, prints and drawings and electronic resources, as well as a professional team on hand to lend advice, a series of research guides, and purpose-built reading-room facilities. Caird Library opening times: Monday – Saturday 10.00 – 16.45 Thursday 10.00 – 19.45 Saturday 10.00 – 13.00 and 14.00 – 16.45 Last admission 15 minutes before closing Catch up with the latest news on the Caird Library Blog at rmg.co.uk/library Or for other library and general enquiries contact 020 8312 6516 or email library@rmg.co.uk
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Research reference and reading room
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
Caird Library and Archive events The Women’s Royal Naval Service, 1917–19
Jane Austen and the Navy: Archive Event
Thursday 7 March | 18.45 – 19.45 NMM Seminar Room | FREE Explore manuscripts detailing the lives of the Wrens in the First World War. F
Thursday 27 June | 18.45 – 19.45 NMM Seminar room | FREE View Austen family manuscripts and explore the author’s links to the Navy.
Introduction to the Caird Library
Family History Events
Thursdays 28 March, 25 April, 23 May, 27 June | 11.00 – 12.00 | FREE View rare manuscripts, digital resources and books including crew lists, masters’ certificates, hospital admission registers and the Navy Lists. F
Treasures of the Caird Library: Maps and Atlases Thursday 25 April | 18.45 – 19.45 FREE Curators present some of the most beautiful and interesting sea charts, maps and atlases from our extensive collection.
F
Sea and Me: Family History Tuesday 21 May | 14.45 – 15.30 NMM Seminar Room | FREE Discover how our ‘Sea and Me’ volunteers traced their maritime ancestors. F
Understanding handwriting workshop Wednesday 22 May | 11.00 – 12.30 NMM Group Space | £8 | Members £7 Learn how to decipher unfamiliar handwriting in family history documents.
F
Fathers’ Letters Sunday 16 June | 11.45 | NMM Lecture Theatre and 16 Seconds West Brasserie | £20 | Members £18 | Children £8.95 The Caird Library has a fascinating collection of letters from fathers away at sea or from fathers to their naval sons: come and investigate them in our archives before moving on to the 16 Seconds West Brasserie for a roastbeef Sunday lunch. Advance booking required by 10 June. Call 020 8312 6608 or email bookings@rmg.co.uk
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
Archive Late: Trace Your Family History Thursday 23 May | 18.30 – 19.30 NMM Seminar Room | FREE Introductory session on how the Caird Library can aid your family history research: follow a mariner’s career through a selection of manuscripts. F
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A whole day out at Royal Museums Greenwich Suggested itineraries for all the family The sea and her travellers Ships and stars
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5
Explore above and below decks on board Cutty Sark
Take your younger shipmates to investigate the new Children’s Gallery
6 Explore the Museum’s free galleries and displays including ‘Voyagers’, Arctic Convoys and Broadsides!
Enjoy a Cutty Sarkinspired cup of tea at the Even Keel Café
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1
3 Explore the exciting new interactive Great Map
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Top up your rations at the Museum Café with great views out into Greenwich Park
Get blown away by the epic waterscapes of Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea (until 28 April) or Visions of the Universe (from 7 June)
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
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Save money with the Big Ticket
See how the sea has inspired world-class art at the Queen’s House, including the new textile installation by Alice Kettle
Make your way to the National Maritime Museum and up the hill to the Royal Observatory: take your photo on the Prime Meridian and visit the Astronomer Royal’s apartments
Get discounted admission to special exhibitions, Cutty Sark and the Observatory with the Big Ticket. Ask at admissions desks for details. Become
a Member to revisit as much as you like for free!
Prime Meridian of the World
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Go on a breathtaking journey through space at a planetarium show — try We Are Aliens or Sky Tonight Live
5 What alien life forms might be out there? Discover some weird and wonderful ideas in Alien Revolution The Great Moon Hoax, lithograph in the New York Sun, 28 August 1835
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
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Shop, Eat, Drink at Royal Museums Greenwich Members enjoy a 10% discount
Delicious... Food and drink
Gifts with a difference
A selection of fresh food, drinks and snacks can be purchased at the National Maritime Museum Café, PAUL Bakery, Astronomy Café and the Even Keel Café at Cutty Sark. For the best of contemporary British cuisine and unrivalled views of Greenwich Park visit 16 Seconds West Brasserie, a fully licensed restaurant in the National Maritime Museum. To pre-book a table visit rmg.co.uk/food
The Museum Shop, Astronomy and Meridian Shops and the Cutty Sark shop are a treasure-trove of toys, books, clothes, jewellery, tableware, ceramics, clocks and watches — inspired presents for everyone from the budding astronomer or pirate to the discerning bookworm or ship’s captain. Browse gifts online at shop.rmg.co.uk
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Inspiring...
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
Information Travel
Cutty Sark, Zone 2
Greenwich, Zone 2
Greenwich Pier
of the World
www.tf l.gov.uk 020 7222 1234
Prime Meridian
Just two stops from London Bridge by train
Admission
Access
Admission is free although charges apply to special exhibitions and some events, planetarium shows, Flamsteed House, the Meridian Courtyard and Cutty Sark.
All our venues are accessible except the conservation studios and some parts of the Royal Observatory. For access queries please call 020 8312 8613.
Booking
Keep in touch
All tickets can be booked at rmg.co.uk/ tickets. If you experience any problems please call our booking line on 020 8312 6608 (09.00 – 16.00) or email bookings@rmg.co.uk
Sign up to our monthly e-newsletter at rmg.co.uk/newsletter
Opening times All venues open daily 10.00 – 17.00. National Maritime Museum open until 20.00 every Thursday. Last admission to Royal Observatory 30 minutes before closing; Cutty Sark 60 minutes before closing. Please note Cutty Sark may be closed some Mondays, and the Queen’s House may be closed occasionally for events. Please check rmg.co.uk/visit
Search for National Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory Greenwich and The Cutty Sark on Facebook
Follow @NMMGreenwich, @ROGAstronomers and @CuttySark on Twitter
Our ticket prices now include a voluntary donation that will help RMG raise money for capital projects including new displays, acquisitions and conservation. Please let us know if you do not wish to make a donation.
All images © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, unless otherwise stated. © 2013 National Maritime Museum, Greenwich SE10 9NF. All information correct at time of print but may be subject to change.
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
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Calendar MARCH Sat 2 Thames Foreshore litter clean-up Explore Saturday Cutty Sark family fun weekend Sun 3 Discover Sunday Cutty Sark family fun weekend Tue 5 Play Tuesday Circuits of Knowledge Thu 7 Jane Austen and the Navy Beginners’ Meditation The Women’s Royal Naval Service Sat 9 Explore Saturday Sun 10 Pride & Prejudice Afternoon Tea Discover Sunday Tue 12 Play Tuesday Thu 14 Ansel Adams Late Jane Austen and the Navy Beginners’ Meditation Sat 16 East London boat trips Explore Saturday Sun 17 Thames Foreshore Photowalk Discover Sunday Tue 19 Play Tuesday The Royal Navy & British Identity Thu 21 Jane Austen and the Navy Beginners’ Meditation Cutty Sark curator’s tour Film: The Draughtsman’s Contract Sat 23 Akleriah in residence Explore Saturday Sun 24 Sunday Salon: Creative writing Sunday Salon access event Discover Sunday Tue 25 Play Tuesday Wed 27 Garden of England tour Thu 28 Jane Austen and the Navy Fingerprints of the Universe Introduction to the Caird Library Fri 29 Cutty Sark Easter Egg Hunt Sat 30 Upcycling with Fabrications Explore Saturday From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark Easter Egg Hunt Sun 31 Discover Sunday Cutty Sark Stories From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark Easter Egg Hunt
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APRIL Mon 1 Tue 2 Wed 3 Thu 4 Fri 5 Sat 6 Sun 7 Mon 8 Tue 9 Wed 10 Thu 11 Fri 12 Sat 13
The Great Map family fun Cutty Sark Stories From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark Easter Egg Hunt The Great Map family fun Play Tuesday From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark Stories The Great Map family fun From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark Stories Extreme Photography Liquid Pub Quiz Jane Austen and the Navy The Great Map family fun From Atoms to Aliens Live music in the foyer Cutty Sark Stories The Great Map family fun From Atoms to Aliens The Great Map family fun From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark family fun weekend Sunday Salon: Afternoon Tea The Great Map family fun From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark family fun weekend The Great Map family fun From Atoms to Aliens The Great Map family fun Play Tuesday From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark Stories The Great Map family fun From Atoms to Aliens Cutty Sark Stories Film: Sense and Sensibility The Great Map family fun Jane Austen and the Navy From Atoms to Aliens Live music in the foyer Cutty Sark Stories The Great Map family fun From Atoms to Aliens Explore Saturday From Atoms to Aliens
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
Calendar Sun 14 Tue 16 Thu 18 Sat 20 Sun 21 Tue 23 Wed 24 Thu 25 Sat 27 Sun 28 Tue 30
Sunday Salon: Afternoon Tea Discover Sunday From Atoms to Aliens Play Tuesday Live music in the foyer Cutty Sark curator’s tour Behind the Scenes: Ship Models Explore Saturday Sunday Salon: Afternoon Tea Discover Sunday Play Tuesday Garden of England tour Ravilious: Submarine Live music in the foyer Treasures of the Caird Library Introduction to the Caird Library Explore Saturday Saturday Space Explorers Sunday Salon: Afternoon Tea Discover Sunday Anvilled Stars Play Tuesday
MAY Thu 2 Sat 4 Sun 5 Tue 7 Thu 9 Sat 11 Sun 12 Tue 14 Thu 16 Sat 18 Sun 19 Tue 21 Wed 22 Thu 23 Sat 25 Sun 26
Van Dyck and Henrietta Maria Explore Saturday Cutty Sark family fun weekend Pirate Party Discover Sunday Play Tuesday Film: To Kill a King Explore Saturday Discover Sunday Play Tuesday SciFi Film Night Museums at Night Explore Saturday Discover Sunday Play Tuesday Sea and Me Understanding Handwriting Cutty Sark curator’s tour Introduction to the Caird Library Summer Science Trace Your Family History Explore Saturday Saturday Space Explorers ROG Ask the Expert Discover Sunday ROG Ask the Expert
Book at rmg.co.uk/tickets
Mon 27 Tue 28 Wed 29 Thu 30 Fri 31
A Thread, a Stitch family fun ROG Ask the Expert Cutty Sark holiday events A Thread, a Stitch family fun Play Tuesday ROG Ask the Expert Fingerprints of the Universe Cutty Sark holiday events Garden of England tour A Thread, a Stitch family fun ROG Ask the Expert Cutty Sark holiday events Film: The Tempest A Thread, a Stitch family fun ROG Ask the Expert Cutty Sark holiday events A Thread, a Stitch family fun ROG Ask the Expert Cutty Sark holiday events
JUNE Sat 1 Sun 2 Tue 4 Fri 7 Sat 8 Sun 9 Tue 11 Thu 13 Sat 15 Sun 16 Tue 18 Thu 20 Sat 22 Sun 23 Tue 25 Wed 26 Thu 27 Sat 29 Sun 30
Explore Saturday ROG Ask the Expert Cutty Sark family fun weekend Discover Sunday ROG Ask the Expert Cutty Sark family fun weekend Play Tuesday Alice Kettle in conversation Explore Saturday Discover Sunday Play Tuesday Visions of the Universe Late Explore Saturday Fathers’ Letters Discover Sunday Play Tuesday The Universe through an Astronomer’s Eyes Cutty Sark curator’s tour SciFi Film Night Explore Saturday Discover Sunday Play Tuesday Garden of England tour Summer Science Introduction to the Caird Library Jane Austen: Archive Event Explore Saturday Discover Sunday Wh at ’s O n
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Join us today
Become a Member of Royal Museums Greenwich and enjoy FREE entry to: Major exhibitions Planetarium shows Flamsteed House and the Meridian Line Cutty Sark
Plus Exclusive Members’ events, and discount in our shops, cafés and events programme
From just £35 a year or £75 for a family rmg.co.uk/membership 020 8312 6678 | membership@rmg.co.uk
Why not buy gift membership? A perfect present for all ages