National Maritime Museum facts for kids
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The museum's main entrance
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| Established | 1937 |
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| Location | Greenwich London, SE10 United Kingdom |
| Collection size | 2 million+ objects |
| Visitors | 2,367,904 (2009) |
| Public transit access |  Cutty Sark Greenwich |
| Area | 200 acres (0.81 km2) |
The National Maritime Museum (NMM) is a super cool maritime museum in Greenwich, London. It's all about the sea and ships! It's part of a bigger group called Royal Museums Greenwich. This museum is special because it's in a World Heritage Site called Maritime Greenwich. Just like many other national museums in the UK, you can visit the main parts for free! Sometimes, there's a small charge for special exhibits.
Contents
How the Museum Started
The National Maritime Museum was officially created by a special law in 1934. It was built thanks to many generous gifts, especially from a person named Sir James Caird. King George VI officially opened the museum on April 27, 1937. His daughter, Princess Elizabeth (who later became Queen Elizabeth II), joined him for the trip along the River Thames from London. The first person in charge of the museum was Sir Geoffrey Callender.
Amazing Collections at the Museum
Greenwich has always been connected to the sea and how we find our way around. Long ago, the Romans landed here. King Henry VIII lived nearby, and the Navy has strong roots in the area. In 1675, King Charles II started the Royal Observatory. This was to help sailors figure out their exact location at sea.
Since 1884, Greenwich has been home to Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian. This means people all over the world set their clocks based on Greenwich time. The museum has the most important collection in the world about Britain's history at sea. It has more than two million items!
You can see:
- Art about the sea, from Britain and 17th-century Dutch artists.
- Old maps.
- Important papers and records.
- Models of ships and their building plans.
- Tools for science and navigation.
- Instruments for telling time and studying stars, which are at the Observatory.
The museum also has famous paintings of important people like Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson and Captain James Cook.
The museum often lends out items from its collection. This way, people in the UK and other countries can see these amazing objects. The museum wants everyone to better understand Britain's history with the sea and how it has shaped the world today.
The museum also has items from the German Naval Academy Mürwik after World War II. These include ship models, paintings, and flags. The museum considers these items "war trophies" that were taken after the war.
The Museum's Location and Buildings
The museum officially opened in 1934. It is located within the 200 acres (0.81 km2) of Greenwich Royal Park. The buildings used to be a school called the Royal Hospital School.
The museum has been updated over the years. In 1999, the main galleries were completely redone. This project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. In 2008, a new gallery was made possible by a generous gift from Sammy Ofer.
In one year, between 2016 and 2017, the National Maritime Museum welcomed 2.41 million visitors!
Leaders of the National Maritime Museum
Here are the people who have been in charge of the National Maritime Museum:
- 1937–1946: Geoffrey Callender
- 1947–1966: Frank George Griffith Carr
- 1967–1983: Basil Jack Greenhill
- 1983–1986: Neil Cossons
- 1986–2000: Richard Louis Ormond CBE
- 2000–2007: Rear Admiral Roy Clare
- 2007–present: Dr Kevin Fewster
The Caird Medal
The Caird Medal was created in 1984. This was to celebrate 50 years since the law that started the National Maritime Museum in 1934. The medal is given out every year to someone who has done really important work in areas the museum cares about. This person must also be good at sharing their knowledge with the public. The medal is named after Sir James Caird, who gave a lot of money to help start the museum.
People Who Have Won the Caird Medal
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Some of the people who have won the Caird Medal include:
- 1984: Eric McKee
- 1985: Michael S. Robinson
- 1994: Glyndwr Williams
- 1995: Margaret Rule
- 2002: Robert Ballard
- 2004: Sir David Attenborough
- 2007: Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow
Other British Maritime Museums
The National Maritime Museum Cornwall is another museum that focuses on the sea. It is a completely separate museum, but it started with help from the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. It is located in Falmouth.
Images for kids
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Admiral George Keith Elphinstone by George Sanders
See also
In Spanish: Museo Marítimo Nacional (Reino Unido) para niños
