HMS Unicorn

Over het museum

HMS Unicorn is a 46-gun wooden frigate of the Leda class, laid down at Chatham Dockyard in 1822 and launched in 1824. Because she was built in peacetime she spent her early years in reserve, laid up "in ordinary" on the River Medway, where a protective roof was built over her upper deck. That roof is the main reason she has stayed so original, and she is regarded as the most original old ship in the world and one of the six oldest ships afloat. Her design joined traditional timber shipbuilding with new iron components.

In 1873 Unicorn was towed to Dundee, where she became a drill ship for the Royal Naval Reserve, and she was used for reservist training until 1968. She later served under other names, including Unicorn II and Cressy, before reverting to her original name in 1959. She was moved to Victoria Dock in 1963, where she lies today beside the Tay Road Bridge.

The Unicorn Preservation Society was founded in 1968, and the Ministry of Defence handed the ship over to it the following year. After restoration she was opened to the public in 1975. Visitors can explore the upper deck, the gun deck, the captain's cabin, the lower deck, the gunroom and the orlop deck. The ship is now the oldest in Scotland and the country's only surviving wooden warship, and the charity that cares for her is running an appeal to raise funds for her preservation.

Hoogtepunten

• Georgian frigate launched in 1824, among the six oldest ships in the world
• Four decks to explore, from the gun deck to the orlop deck
• Original protective roof that kept her hull and fittings intact
• Scotland's only surviving wooden warship
• Family trails and hands-on activities

Vaste collectie

• Exploring the ship – The frigate's upper deck, gun deck, captain's cabin, lower deck, gunroom and orlop deck, with displays on life at sea and on the ship's 200-year history.

Opgericht

1975

Beheerder

Unicorn Preservation Society

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

The adult ticket costs £9.20 without Gift Aid. Tickets can be bought online in advance, when they are valid on any day during opening hours without a time slot, or on arrival at the ship. UK taxpayers can add Gift Aid to ticket purchases.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The ship keeps her original layout, so she can only be explored by ladderways and steep slopes, and many historic spaces are not accessible to everyone. According to the ship's accessibility guide, the welcome desk and gun deck are accessible for wheelchair users. The ship is in a tidal dock, so the gangway rises and falls with the tide and can be very steep at high tide; visitors can check tide times or phone before a visit. A street-level toilet is on the dockside outside the ship. A large-print deck guide is available on request. A detailed accessibility guide is published on the ship's website.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations

Children can use hands-on activities, colouring and puzzle sheets and picture-hunt trails, and the ship hosts regular family activities and events. Children under 5 enter free.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

HMS Unicorn is in Victoria Dock, next to the Tay Road Bridge. Journeys can be planned with Traveline Scotland.

Service & horeca

A street-level toilet is outside the ship on the dockside.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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