National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London was created under the National Maritime Act of 1934 and was opened by George VI in 1937. The buildings form part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, which includes the Royal Observatory.

The collection at the National Maritime Museum comprises over two million items mainly associated with Britain at sea including maps, art, manuscripts, public records, models and navigational instruments. 


Titanic

Museums hit out at Titanic artefacts auction process

12 October 2018

The National Maritime Museum and National Museums Northern Ireland claim the bidding process in the sale of more than 5500 artefacts from the wreck of the doomed Titanic prevented them from submitting a formal offer.

Titanic

Museums and film-maker James Cameron team-up to buy Titanic wreck artefacts

31 July 2018

A group of museums, with the backing of film-maker James Cameron, has teamed up to buy artefacts from the wreck of the 'Titanic'.

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Nelson portrait with Emma Hamilton connection at Charles Miller auction

01 November 2016

An antique’s appearance in an exhibition in a gallery or museum can help boost auction value in several ways. One factor after the show is adding to the provenance: this item was so important it was selected for a landmark display on the artist or designer.

Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I

Greenwich museums launch campaign to secure £10m Armada Portrait which ‘could’ be sold on the open market

25 May 2016

Royal Museums Greenwich are attempting to raise £10m to buy a version of The Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I. The work currently belongs to descendants of Sir Francis Drake but the institution say that unless the required funds are raised, the painting “could be sold on the open market and even go overseas”.

Harrison’s timekeepers on show

24 March 2014

All five of John Harrison’s famous timekeepers will be on display in a new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum this summer.

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Weaving a tale of cross Channel commerce

08 March 2005

THE memory of a long-ago, short-lived trade agreement between England and France was rekindled by an extraordinary embroidered waistcoat that surfaced in the Deburaux & Associés sale in Paris on February 11, when it sold to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich for €5000 (£3470) plus 20.33% buyer’s premium.

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Hodges’ War and Peace prints found after appeal

13 October 2004

THE National Maritime Museum has purchased two prints from a London dealer following its appeal in the Antiques Trade Gazette for information about two missing William Hodges paintings.

Missing Hodges

06 July 2004

THE National Maritime Museum are asking for help in tracking down two missing paintings by William Hodges. The works The Effects of Peace and The Consequences of War were last seen at a European Museum sale at Christie’s in 1813.

Bligh relics acquired by National Maritime Museum, but it is not all plain sailing and there were other…

30 October 2002

Pick of the Bligh relics sold at Christies King Street last month was the cup that he used to hold his meagre rations of bread and water, a coconut shell that bears his incised initials, the date April 1789 and, inscribed in ink around the rim, the words “The Cup I eat my miserable allowance of”.

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