List of public art in the Royal Borough of Greenwich facts for kids
The Royal Borough of Greenwich is a special part of London, known for its rich history and beautiful places. All around Greenwich, you can find amazing public art – these are artworks like statues, sculptures, and murals that are displayed outside for everyone to see and enjoy. They often tell stories about the area's past, important people, or even just add beauty to the streets and parks.
This list will take you on a tour of some of the cool public art pieces you can discover in Greenwich, from old statues of kings to modern sculptures that make you think!
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Art in Avery Hill
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In Avery Hill, you can find a statue of Hermes inside the Winter Garden. This statue is a copy of a famous artwork by an artist called Giambologna, made around 1889. Hermes is a god from ancient Greek stories, known for being a messenger.
Art in Blackheath
Blackheath has two important war memorials. One is the Borough of Greenwich War Memorial, made of Portland stone. It was unveiled on November 11, 1922, to remember those who fought in wars. You can find it at the corner of Charlton Way and Maze Hill.
Another memorial is the St John the Evangelist's Church War Memorial, a memorial cross also unveiled on the same day in 1922. It's located in the churchyard on Stratheden Road.
Art in Charlton
In Charlton, the Charlton War Memorial is a memorial cross made of Portland stone. It was unveiled on October 31, 1920, and is located on the green opposite St Luke's Church.
Football fans will love the Statue of Sam Bartram at The Valley, the home of Charlton Athletic Football Club. Sam Bartram was a famous goalkeeper for the club. This bronze statue was created by Anthony Hawken and unveiled on June 9, 2005.
Inside the Peace Garden at Charlton House, there's a sculpture called Portage. Made in 2006 by Margaret Higginson, it was inspired by a campaign to stop violence against women.
Near the Thames Barrier, you'll find the Thames Barrier Memorial. This memorial, from 2018, remembers all the people who have worked on the Thames Barrier and other flood defences along the River Thames.
Art in Deptford
Deptford has a memorial dedicated to Margaret McMillan, a pioneer in education. It's located at the Rachel McMillan Nursery School on McMillan Street and was designed by Herbert Baker in 1932.
Another interesting piece is the Memorial to Peter the Great on Glaisher Street. This statue, created by Mihail Chemiakin in 2001, remembers the Russian Tsar Peter the Great, who visited Deptford in the late 1600s to learn about shipbuilding.
At the junction of Deptford High Street and Griffin Street, there's a mural called His and Hers. This colorful artwork was created by Patricio Forrester in 2002 and was refreshed in 2016.
The Memorial to the Battle of Deptford Bridge is a unique sundial mosaic bench at Deptford Bridge. Made by Gary Drostle in 2017, it marks the site of an important historical battle.
Art in Eltham
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Eltham is home to the Holy Trinity Church War Memorial, a crucifix made of stone and bronze in the churchyard on Southend Crescent.
The Eltham War Memorial is another memorial cross, made of Portland stone, located at St John the Baptist's Church on High Street. It was designed by Reginald Blomfield and unveiled on November 9, 1924.
Art in Greenwich
Greenwich is packed with public art! At the Old Royal Naval College, you can see a statue of King George II, made by John Michael Rysbrack in 1735.
Also at the Old Royal Naval College is an amazing architectural sculpture called The Immortality of Nelson. This relief sculpture, made from 1809 to 1812 by Benjamin West and Joseph Panzetta, celebrates the famous naval hero, Lord Nelson.
Inside the Queen's House, there's a marble Bust of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson from 1835 by Francis Leggatt Chantrey.
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The Statue of William IV stands on King William Walk. This granite statue was made by Samuel Nixon in 1845 and was moved to Greenwich in 1936.
A tall Memorial to Joseph René Bellot is an obelisk located in Cutty Sark Gardens. It was created by Philip Hardwick in 1855 to honor the French naval officer and Arctic explorer.
Nearby on King William Walk, you'll find the Memorial to the New Zealand Campaign (1863–1864). This 50-foot tall granite obelisk, designed by Andrew Clarke, was erected in 1874.
The Pepys Building at the Old Royal Naval College features Busts of naval heroes in relief, made by Charles Raymond Smith between 1874 and 1883. These include famous figures like Francis Drake and James Cook.
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In Greenwich Park, there's a Statue of General James Wolfe by Robert Tait McKenzie, from 1930. General Wolfe was a British Army officer famous for his victory at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in Canada.
The Statue of Walter Raleigh is at the Old Royal Naval College. This statue, made by William McMillan in 1959, honors the famous explorer and writer. It was moved here in 2001.
The University of Greenwich has a Mermaid statue made of silicon bronze in 1959.
Also in Greenwich Park, you can see Large Standing Figure (Knife Edge), a large sculpture by the famous artist Henry Moore, created between 1961 and 1978.
At the Royal Observatory, the Dolphin Dial is a unique sundial with a sculpture. Made by Christopher St John Daniel and Edwin Russell between 1977 and 1978, it was moved to its current spot in 2009.
The Greenwich Mural on Glenister Green, Woolwich Road, is a large ceramic and stone mural from 1972 by Philippa Threlfall and Kennedy Collings. It shows the maritime history of Greenwich and was moved and restored in 2007.
The Statue of Captain James Cook stands at the National Maritime Museum. This statue, made by Arthur Weller in 1994, honors the famous British explorer.
At the Royal Observatory, you'll find the Prime Meridian marker, a sculpture by Christina Garzia from 1999. This marks the famous Prime Meridian, where east meets west!
The Millennium Sundial in Greenwich Park was created by Christopher St John Daniel in 2000 to mark the new millennium.
The Throne of Earthly Kings is a sculpture by François Hameury from 2004, located at Devonport House.
Another Statue of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson can be seen outside the Trafalgar Tavern. This bronze statue was made by Lesley Povey in 2009.
At the University of Greenwich, there's a fun sculpture called Monument for a Dead Parrot, a bronze piece by John Reardon from 2009.
Nelson's Ship in a Bottle, a sculpture by Yinka Shonibare, is now at the National Maritime Museum. It was originally displayed in Trafalgar Square and moved here in 2012.
The Statue of Yuri Gagarin is at the Royal Observatory. This zinc alloy statue by Anatoly Novikov, from 2011, honors the first human in space.
In Greenwich Market, you can see Encompass, a bronze sculpture by Michael Speller from 2016. It's a sphere made of 210 figures, showing sailors climbing a ship's rigging.
Art in Greenwich Peninsula
The Greenwich Peninsula is home to several modern art pieces, many of which are part of The Line art trail.
The East Greenwich Gas Works War Memorial is a grey granite memorial from 1926, located on West Parkside Road.
Quantum Cloud is a striking sculpture by Antony Gormley from 2000. It was created for the millennium celebrations and is now part of The Line art trail.
Another millennium artwork is A Slice of Reality by Richard Wilson, also from 2000 and part of The Line art trail. It's a real ship cut in half!
Liberty Grip is a sculpture by Gary Hume from 2008, also part of The Line art trail.
The sculpture Here by Thomson & Craighead (2013) is another piece on The Line art trail.
A Bullet from a Shooting Star by Alex Chinneck (2015) is a unique sculpture that looks like a giant electricity pylon stuck upside down in the ground. It's also part of The Line art trail.
The Greenwich Peninsula Low Carbon Energy Centre features a tall metal sculpture called Lenticular Dazzle Camouflage by Conrad Shawcross (2016). It's 49 meters high and inspired by patterns used to camouflage ships.
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You can also find sculptures by famous artist Damien Hirst here, including Hydra and Kali (2016) and Mermaid (2017). These were originally part of his exhibition in Venice.
Head in the Wind by Allen Jones (2019) is an 8-meter tall sculpture.
A very large sculpture, Demon with Bowl by Damien Hirst, was installed in 2023. It's 60 feet tall!
Art in Lee
In Lee, the Men of St Peter's War Memorial is a memorial cross made of Portland stone. Designed by Hatchard Smith and Son and sculpted by Farmer and Brindley, it was unveiled on May 15, 1920, on Courtlands Avenue.
Art in Plumstead
Plumstead has the 8th London Howitzer Brigade War Memorial on Plumstead Common. This Portland stone war memorial was unveiled on October 7, 1922.
Art in Shooter's Hill
On Shooter's Hill, the Christ Church War Memorial is a stone memorial cross located in the churchyard of Christ Church. It was unveiled on October 8, 1922.
Art in Thamesmead
In Thamesmead, you can see the Byron Close Arches, a concrete sculpture by Rebecca Sutherland from 2018. These arches are under Carlyle Road and won an award for their design.
Art in Woolwich
Woolwich is home to many interesting artworks. At the Royal Arsenal Brass Foundry, there's a unique Statue of a Barbarian or Deus Lunus. This ancient Roman statue, made of Turkish marble, was found in Egypt in 1801 and brought to Woolwich.
In St Mary's Gardens, Greenlaw Street, there's a wooden Crucifix that was originally inside the church and moved outside in 1966.
At the Royal Arsenal in Wellington Park, you'll find a Statue of the Duke of Wellington. This marble statue by Thomas Milnes was made in 1848 and moved here in 1863.
Also in St Mary's Gardens, Woolwich Church Street, is Tom Cribb's tomb, from 1851. It features a stone statue of a lion resting its paw on an urn.
The Crimean War Memorial stands at the Royal Artillery Barracks. This bronze and stone statue by John Bell from 1861 shows a woman giving out laurel wreaths. The figure was cast from a Russian cannon captured during the war!
On Woolwich Common, you'll see the Major Little Memorial, a stone obelisk from around 1861.
The Second Boer War Memorial is a granite obelisk from around 1902, located on Grand Depot Road. It remembers the soldiers who died in the Second Boer War.
On Powis Street, on the former Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society building, there's a Statue of Alexander McLeod in a niche. This statue by Alfred Drury from 1903 honors an important figure in the co-operative movement.
At the Royal Arsenal, Grand Store, Cadogan Road, there's a World War I memorial relief made of stone from around 1919.
Near Woolwich Dockyard, on the Thames Path, you can find a mosaic floor piece from 1984–86 that tells the maritime history of Woolwich. It was a community project.
Inside Woolwich Arsenal station, on platform 1, there's a terracotta relief called Workers of Woolwich. Created by Martin Williams in 1993, it honors the many people who worked at the Royal Arsenal.
On Plumstead Road, opposite the Royal Arsenal, stands The Woolwich Ship, a steel sculpture by Tom Grimsey from 1999. It celebrates Woolwich's naval history.
In the Kingsman Parade pedestrian tunnel on Woolwich Church Street, there's a mosaic mural from 2000 that shows the History of Woolwich Dockyard. It was a project involving local schoolchildren.
At the Royal Arsenal, outside the Dial Arch pub, you'll find a Memorial to Dial Square, Royal Arsenal and Woolwich Arsenal Football Clubs. This bronze and stone sculpture from around 2005 celebrates the football clubs that started in Woolwich.
Another artwork at Woolwich Arsenal station is the Street Life ceramic mural by Michael Craig-Martin from 2008. It's a large, colorful mural that covers two storeys.
At the Royal Arsenal, Main Guardhouse, there's a Statue of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. This bronze statue by Pavlos Angelos Kougioumtzis was a gift from Olympia, Greece, to celebrate the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Finally, in General Gordon Square, you can see the Woolwich Buddy Bear. This fiberglass statue, designed by Michele Petit-Jean after a design by local schoolchildren, was unveiled on May 27, 2016. It celebrates the friendship between Greenwich and Berlin.
