BSL Tour: Amazing Animals in Maritime History

Created by Royal Museums Greenwich

Join historian and guide John Wilson at the National Maritime Museum, for a BSL tour about remarkable animals.

Join historian and guide John Wilson for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour about animals, taking place in the Pacific Encounters and Sea Things galleries at the National Maritime Museum.

Do you think that cats and water donโ€™t mix? Think again! The majority of sailing ships had at least one shipโ€™s cat aboard โ€“ sometimes more than one. There are many stories of brave, loyal, funny and legendary cats on ships.

We donโ€™t just talk about cats; discover why Captain Cook always took a goat with him on his expeditions, how birds are teaching humans how to navigate, and more.

Youโ€™ll also discover more about the rich symbology used on shipโ€™s badges โ€“ some realistic, some mythological. Sometimes itโ€™s obvious why an image was chosen, but sometimes a bit of code-cracking is needed!

Event details

When: Fri 3 Jul 2026, 2:00 pm โ€“ 3:00 pm

Format: In-person

Venue:
The National Maritime Museum Greenwich
Romney Road
London
SE10 9NF
England

Cost: Free

Access & inclusion

Event languages

  • British Sign Language (BSL)

Access features

  • Wheelchair access
  • Quiet space

Organiser

Royal Museums Greenwich

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