Old Royal Naval College

Over het museum

The site beside the River Thames in Greenwich was home to the Tudor royal Palace of Placentia, where Henry VIII was born. After the old palace was demolished, Queen Mary II founded the Royal Hospital for Seamen here in the 1690s as a refuge for elderly and injured sailors of the Royal Navy. The architect Sir Christopher Wren designed the great baroque buildings, which were built between 1696 and 1712.

The most famous interior is the Painted Hall, decorated by Sir James Thornhill between 1707 and 1726 and often called the Sistine Chapel of the UK. The Chapel of St Peter and St Paul is regarded as one of the finest 18th-century interiors. Lord Nelson lay in state in the Painted Hall after his death.

The hospital closed in 1869, and from 1873 to 1998 the buildings housed the Royal Naval College, which trained naval officers. After the navy left, parts were leased to the University of Greenwich and Trinity College of Music. The charity Greenwich Foundation now looks after the buildings and grounds, and opened the Painted Hall, chapel, grounds and visitor centre to the public in 2002.

The site is part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Visitors can see the Painted Hall after restoration, visit the chapel and the Discover Greenwich museum in the Visitor Centre, and join daily talks and tours.

Hoogtepunten

• The Painted Hall decorated by Sir James Thornhill
• The Chapel of St Peter and St Paul
• Discover Greenwich museum with a replica Tudor palace model
• The Skittle Alley, built in the 1860s for the Greenwich pensioners
• Free riverside grounds and views across the Thames
• Daily 600 Years of History tours and Painted Hall talks

Vaste collectie

• The Painted Hall – The baroque dining hall of the former Royal Hospital for Seamen, covered in painted ceilings and walls by Sir James Thornhill.
• Discover Greenwich – A museum in the Visitor Centre with artefacts, film and hands-on displays, including a replica of Henry VIII's Tudor palace and a Greenwich pensioner's room of the 1750s.
• Chapel of St Peter and St Paul – A neoclassical chapel with one of the finest 18th-century interiors, free to visit.

Opgericht

1696

Beheerder

Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

The General Admission ticket covers the Painted Hall, talks, tours and exhibitions, and can be converted into a free Annual Pass. The grounds and the Chapel are free to visit. Royal Navy serving personnel and veterans enter free.

Toegankelijkheid

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

The lift to the Painted Hall is currently out of order, so the Painted Hall can be reached only by stairs (7 steps to the King William Undercroft, then steps to the Lower and Upper Hall); the Visitor Centre and Old Brewery have level access and the Visitor Centre has a lift to the mezzanine. The Chapel is reached by a lift on College Way that must be booked in advance. Manual wheelchairs can be hired from the Tourist Information Centre with a refundable £50 deposit. Accessible toilets and baby changing are in the Visitor Centre, the Undercroft and the Old Brewery. Hearing loops are in the Visitor Centre and the Chapel, ear defenders can be borrowed, and the multimedia guide is available in British Sign Language. Audio-described tours are led by trained guides. Blue Badge parking is in the Park Row car park. Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

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

Children aged 16 and under go free. A family trail, free family booklets for ages 5 to 12 and sensory backpacks are available, and the Discover Greenwich museum has hands-on displays. Family events run during school holidays. There is buggy parking and baby changing, and the grounds are open for play and picnics.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The Visitor Centre is directly opposite the Cutty Sark. Taxi drop-off is possible on Park Row or King William Walk. The Greenwich Foot Tunnel leads to the Visitor Centre.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museumwinkel

The Undercroft Cafe is beneath the Painted Hall, a cafe is in the Visitor Centre, and the Old Brewery pub serves meals. There are three shops. Picnics are welcome on the lawns.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

Indoor spaces and outdoor areas can be hired for corporate and private events and weddings.

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