Wed. Dec 4th, 2024

August at Greenwich National Maritime Museum

Death in the ice: the shocking story of Franklin’s final expedition

From 14 July, the National Maritime Museum (NMM) will host a major exhibition, developed by the Canadian Museum of History (CMH), exploring the mysterious fate of Sir John Franklin and his crew on their final expedition – a mystery that still remains unsolved today. With over 200 objects on display, alongside finds from HMS Erebus – whose resting place was only discovered in 2014 – on show for the very first time in Europe, the exhibition promises to advance our understanding of the expedition, to reveal the Victorian fascination with the Arctic, and to explore the evidence and theories put forward investigating whether scurvy, starvation, madness caused by lead poisoning, or even cannibalism caused the deaths of the 129-strong crew in the Arctic all those years ago.

From 14 July 2017 – 7 January 10.00-17.00 Adult £12 | Child £7 | Concession £11 please see www.rmg.co.uk for online discounts and further details

Cutty Sark

All images © National Maritime Museum, London.

Sea Monster Puppets

Who knows what mysterious creatures lurk in the deep, dark sea? Put your imagination to the test and design and make your own sea monster in this drop-in art workshop underneath Cutty Sark’s hull. 5 and 6 August  11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00 Suitable for all ages Free with admission to the ship

Floating Sea Creatures

Visit our artist-led workshop at Cutty Sark and learn how to design and make your own floating sea creatures to take home with you. 9 and 10 August 11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00  Suitable for all ages Free with admission to the ship

Once I caught a fish alive!

Make your own magnetic fishing game and practice your fishing skills in this make and take family workshop. 16 and 17 August 11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00 Suitable for all ages Free with admission to the ship

Sea-people finger puppets

Make your very own sea-people finger puppet in this arts and crafts workshop. Make a character of your own invention or take inspiration for the Cutty Sark’s own characters, such as, Clarence the young apprentice, Captain Woodget or even Nannie the ship’s figurehead.

23 and 24 August  11.30 – 13.30 | 14.00 – 16.00  Suitable for all ages

Toddler Time

Cutty Sark is dedicating term-time Wednesday mornings to our youngest visitors. Bring your little sailors along for songs, stories and playtime on board. August   Sammy Ofer Gallery, Cutty Sark 10.00-11.30 Suitable for ages 4 and under £5 Toddler Time ticket for one accompanying adult, includes admission to the ship

Cutty Sark Characters

Come aboard to hear Cutty Sark’s incredible stories brought to life by characters from the ship’s past. Meet Captain Woodget, the ship’s most daring master; Jock Willis, the man who built Cutty Sark; Nannie, the ship’s figurehead; or the ship’s cook, James Robson, who all have an extraordinary story to tell.   Every weekend and weekday and everyday over the summer holidays Sammy Ofer Gallery and Main Deck, Cutty Sark Throughout the day Suitable for ages 3+ Included in Cutty Sark admission price

Cutty Sark is open 10.00 – 17.00, Monday – Sunday (subject to change please see website for details www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark www.rmg.co.uk.

Royal Observatory 

All images © National Maritime Museum, London.

 Daytime Venus Watch

Look at Venus in the daytime through the Royal Observatory’s 18-tonne Great Equatorial Telescope to find out more about this beautiful planet and its place in our developing understanding of the scale of the universe. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24 August

12.30 | 13.10 | 13.50 | 14.30 £6 adult | £5 child  7+ Note: In the event of adverse weather conditions observing may not be possible. The talk will proceed as normal with unique footage of Venus taken through the telescope shown in place of observing. No refunds can be provided.

Sunshine (2007)

The year is 2057. The Sun is dying and a brave crew are on a 150 million km journey to deliver a bomb to reignite it. It’s a long voyage fraught with danger and not all of it coming from outside the spacecraft. After the film, a Royal Observatory astronomer will take a look at the fact behind the fiction answering questions such as, can the Sun really die? How close could we get to the Sun? And how do we know so much about the inside of our star having never sent anything inside it?

5 August 2017 Peter Harrison Planetarium, 18.30-20.00 £10.00 adult | £8.50 concession 15+

Gaia: one billion pixels, one billion stars, one amazing state

Gaia is the ambitious European Space Agency mission to create our first three-dimensional map of the stars in our galaxy. It will show us where they are, how they are moving and even how the Milky Way was formed. In this talk, Professor Gerry Gilmore, Principal Investigator for UK involvement in the Gaia mission, will reveal the power of Gaia’s camera, the largest ever launched, explaining how it monitors over one billion astronomical objects, including stars, planets, comets and quasars, as well as huge numbers of asteroids with unprecedented precision.

24 August 201719.00-20.00 Peter Harrison Planetarium £10 adult | £8.50 child 11+

 Weekend Space Cadets

Come along to our programme of weekend family workshops and participate in a varied range of activities related to space science and space exploration; from the International Space Station to the latest discoveries about the Solar System and the wider universe.

Weekends throughout August  12.45-16.15 Astronomy Centre  5yrs+

Observatory Unlocked

Enjoy a range of public talks and activities delivered by our Observatory Explainers in the Meridian Courtyard, ranging from uncovering the hidden stories of the Royal Observatory Greenwich to solar observing and hands-on science demonstrations. Our Observatory Explainers will be happy to answer any questions you might have between presentations.

NOTE: In the event of rain this activity will take place in the Great Equatorial Telescope or the Octagon Room. Please check with a member of staff.

Weekends and holiday weekdays throughout August 13.00-16.15 Meridian Courtyard Included in Royal Observatory, Flamsteed House and Meridian   Courtyard admission price     7+

Peter Harrison Planetarium

All images © National Maritime Museum, London.

The Peter Harrison Planetarium, featuring state-of-the-art technology is the only public planetarium in London and is the centrepiece of the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Centre. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Solar Superstorms

Benedict Cumberbatch narrates this new show that uncovers the amazing secrets of our own star, the Sun. Viewers will explore the tangle of magnetic fields and superhot plasma that vent the Sun’s rage in dramatic flares, violent solar tornadoes, and the largest eruptions in the solar system: Coronal Mass Ejections.

Throughout August 15.30 12.30 | 14.00 | 15.30 |17. £7.50 adult | £5.50 child | £6.50 concession | £20.00 family     7+

The Sky Tonight

This live show, presented by a Royal Observatory Astronomer, takes visitors on a tour of what can be seen in the night sky on the day of their visit and the months ahead. The journey takes in stars, constellations, planets and moons, and includes a fly-out to the edge of the visible Universe. Throughout August 14.45 12.30 | 14.45  £7.50 adult | £5.50 child | £6.50 concession | £20.00 family    5+

Space Safari

Follow the adventures of Ted as he searches the Solar System for the great, big bear in the sky, visiting the Sun, the Moon and the Planets. In collaboration with local schools, music and songs have been developed by Trinity College of Music.  Throughout August   11.00 £7.50 adult | £5.50 child | £6.50 concession | £20.00 family7 and under

 Meet the Neighbours

Meet our next-door neighbours in space in this entertaining, interactive show where you can decide which planets to visit. Vote with the audience on which planets to explore in depth, before moving beyond to explore neighbouring stars and galaxies far away in the depths of space. Throughout August 15.30 (Weekdays) 13.15 | 15.30 (Weekends & holidays)  £7.50 adult | £5.50 child | £6.50 concession | £20.00 family      5+

Morning Stars

This planetarium show is for children with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and their families and carers. Explore the night sky and find out live from a Royal Observatory Astronomer what is visible on the night of your visit and the month ahead, with opportunities to ask questions afterwards. 5 August   10.00-10.30   £5.00 child or guardian  7+

Admission to the Astronomy Centre at the Royal Observatory Greenwich is free. Admission to the Royal Observatory’s historic Flamsteed House, Time Galleries, Meridian Courtyard and Meridian Building is charged, please see website for details www.rmg.co.uk/visit.

 

All images © National Maritime Museum, London.

 

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By Penny McCarthy

Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.

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