National Maritime Museum
Greenwich SE10 9NF
10am - 5pm daily
Nearest station: Cutty Sark DLR
2 - 3 hours
Based on 12 reviews
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About the National Maritime Museum
Ahoy there! If your crew loves pirates, sea monsters, or tales of epic adventures, the National Maritime Museum is a brilliant day out – and best of all, it’s totally free. From real-life naval heroes to interactive ship simulators and globe-trotting journeys, this Greenwich favourite has something for all ages.
Little ones will love the hands-on AHOY! Gallery – think climbing, water play, and dress-up galore – while older kids and teens can explore shipwreck stories, try out the games and gadgets, and get stuck into centuries of sea-faring drama.
It’s fully accessible too, with buggy-friendly layouts, quiet spaces, sensory backpacks and welcoming staff. Plus, there’s a top-notch café for grown-up pit stops, and beautiful Greenwich Park is right outside for a post-museum runaround.
Top tip from the KidRated Team:
Time your visit around one of the museum’s free family workshops or storytelling sessions – they’re proper crowd-pleasers and often themed around pirates, planets or famous explorers!
100%. Whether they’re climbing into a ship simulator, trying on pirate gear, or spotting sea monsters in old maps – there’s loads to touch, try and explore. It’s not just looking at stuff – it’s doing stuff.
The AHOY! Gallery – basically soft play meets the high seas. Climbing, water play, dressing up… you might struggle to get them out.
They’ll love the ship simulators, stories of real-life naval heroes, and gory sea battles. Plus, it’s the kind of place that makes history feel properly cool.
General admission is free and doesn’t need booking, but AHOY! Gallery and some workshops or events might. Best to check ahead online.
Yes – fully step-free, buggy-friendly, and designed with all families in mind. There are quiet spaces, sensory backpacks, and friendly staff if you need support.
Absolutely. There are picnic areas inside and Greenwich Park is just outside if the sun’s out. Or grab something tasty from the Parkside Café.
Very. Lots of seating, lifts everywhere, and it’s just the right mix of calm and curiosity. They’ll probably love the maritime stories as much as the kids.
You could easily do 2–3 hours, or more if you hit the AHOY! Gallery, café and park after. It’s perfect for a half-day adventure.
Yes – most of it’s indoors and warm, so it’s a great rainy-day plan with plenty of space to roam without soggy coats.
It’s in the heart of Maritime Greenwich, so you can pair it with the Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, or just a run-around in Greenwich Park.
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The Ahoy Children's Gallery is fun for kids, but not always free. It's £3 on weekends, holidays, and out of school term time. You get a 45 minute time slot. It does keep it from being excessively overcrowded and the kids will like playing on the steam ship. The play area is geared for 0-7 year-olds. Otherwise, the museum is a bit more sparse than others in central london and while interesting for adults, might not be for kids. That is, outside of the Children's Gallery. It's at the bottom of Greenwich Park and just a hop and skip from the Cutty Sark and Greenwich Market. You could definitely make a day of a visit.