Old Royal Naval College

King William Walk
Greenwich
Greater London
SE10 9NN
England

Website

E-mail

Film & TV location hire

iallchin@ornc.org

Group Tour Bookings

ahollier@ornc.org

Education

education@ornc.org

Telephone

Box office

020 8269 4799

Fax

020 8269 4757

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

The Old Royal Naval College is the twin-domed baroque masterpiece of English architecture, set in landscaped grounds on the River Thames in the centre of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. The UNESCO designation recognises the site as being of "outstanding universal value", as Greenwich comprises the finest and most dramatically sited architectural and landscape ensemble in the British Isles.

Greenwich Hospital for Seamen was established in 1694 by Royal Charter for the relief and support of seamen and their dependants (the naval equivalent of Chelsea Hospital). Sir Christopher Wren planned the site and during the first half of the eighteenth century various illustrious architects, such as Hawksmoor and Vanbrugh, completed Wren's grand design. The elaborate ceiling and wall paintings in the Painted Hall were executed by Sir James Thornhill between 1707 and 1726. The Chapel was restored by James "Athenian" Stuart after a fire in 1779.
In 1869 the Hospital was closed, and in 1873 the complex of buildings became the Royal Naval College , where officers from all over the world came to train in the naval sciences.
In 1998 the Royal Navy left Greenwich and handed over responsibility for the site to the Greenwich Foundation. The grounds, Painted Hall and Chapel are open to the public daily with no admission charge.

Venue Type:

Architecture centre, Ship or maritime heritage site, Historic house or home, Heritage site

Opening hours

The Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre, Painted Hall and Chapel are open to visitors daily between 10am and 5pm. The grounds of the Old Royal Naval College are open daily from 8.00 to 18.00.

Guided tours are available at £6 per person, lasting approximately 90 minutes (free for children under 16). Daily tours run at 14.00 please call for availability.

In the Chapel, a service of worship is held every Sunday at 11.00, to which all are welcome.

The ORNC is closed to the public on 24, 25 & 26 December.
The Chapel and/or Painted Hall may occasionally be closed at short notice, please see the website for updates.

Admission charges

Admission to the Old Royal Naval College: Free
(includes Painted Hall, Chapel and grounds)

Group tours: £6 a head
(features parts of the College not generally open to the public. Please see the website for full details)

Getting there

By DLR: Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich (Zone 2/3)
By tube: Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf and change for DLR as above.
By Rail: Greenwich Zone 2 from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, London Bridge and Dartford.
By River: Greenwich Pier (Zone 2)
By Bus: 129, 177, 180, 188, 199, 286 386

General services and facilities

Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Foreign language leaflet or brochure available
Guided tours
Information point provided
Pre-booking service for groups
Volunteering scheme offered
Cafeteria
Picnic area
Refreshments
Restaurant
Toilets
Shop
Licensed bar

Children and families

Activities for pre-school children
Events and resources for children and families
Baby changing facilities
High chairs in café/restaurant

Disability access

Braille information and/or interpretation
Large print information and/or interpretation
Handling sessions
Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
Parking for disabled available
Toilets for disabled
Wheelchair access to all public areas

Schools services and facilities

Direct teaching services for schools
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Secondary school education service available
Roleplay/costumed interpreters available
Education facilities available
Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups

Commercial and hire services

Licensed for weddings
Commercial filming service
Facilities for private functions and events
Meeting room available
Conference facilities available

Additional info

Please contact us on 020 8269 4799 if you require wheelchair access and we can send you information regarding the step-free route around the site. Access for wheelchairs into the Chapel is provided by a Stairmate machine.

King William Walk
Greenwich
Greater London
SE10 9NN
England

Website

Old Royal Naval College

www.ornc.org

The Painted Hall

www.ornc.org

The Chapel

www.ornc.org

Events

www.ornc.org

Visit us

www.ornc.org

E-mail

Film & TV location hire

iallchin@ornc.org

Group Tour Bookings

ahollier@ornc.org

Education

education@ornc.org

Telephone

Box office

020 8269 4799

Fax

020 8269 4757

Collection details

Archaeology, Architecture, Maritime, Religion

King William Walk
Greenwich
Greater London
SE10 9NN
England

Website

Old Royal Naval College

www.ornc.org

The Painted Hall

www.ornc.org

The Chapel

www.ornc.org

Events

www.ornc.org

Visit us

www.ornc.org

E-mail

Film & TV location hire

iallchin@ornc.org

Group Tour Bookings

ahollier@ornc.org

Education

education@ornc.org

Telephone

Box office

020 8269 4799

Fax

020 8269 4757

Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.

Face to face resources

Chapel Tours

http://www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org/learning

Discover the beautiful neoclassical Chapel at the Old Royal Naval College. Worksheets and other resources are available to help your pupils explore this Christian place of Worship. Suitable for Key Stage 1 or 2.
Group size: One class.
Duration: 1 hour.

How to obtain

If you would like to book a workshop or find out more about our education programme, please contact
Melissa Lurie or Vicky Carmichael on 020 8269 4715/ 4711 or email education@greenwichfoundation.org.uk.
This workshop is free, but must be booked in advance.

Heritage Craft Taster Days

http://www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org/learning

These workshops encourage students to consider a career in the built heritage sector. Aimed at Year 9 students with an interest in DT, Art and Design or History, the days include a carousel of activities: stone carving, gilding and imitation marbling, as well as careers advice and information. This programme is sponsored by ConstructionSkills and DBR (London) Ltd and run in partnership with the Building Crafts College.
Taster Days will be available from January 2010.
Duration: All day.
Group size: 24

How to obtain

For more information please contact Jo Hall on 020 8269 4715 or education@greenwichfoundation.org.uk

Meet the Buildings

http://www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org/learning

Children will become architecture detectives, spotting and sketching inside and out, exploring the design and materials to piece together the history of the site. Suitable for Key Stage 2.
Group size: One class.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes – 2 hours.

How to obtain

Pattern and Shape

http://www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org/learning

An interactive session that explores the maths behind the architecture and decorative work around the site. Children will investigate shape and symmetry in the Painted Hall and Chapel and then create their own patterns. An imaginative way to study maths outside the classroom. Suitable for Key Stage 1 and 2.
Group size: one class.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours.