The Old Royal Naval College Greenwich, home of the Painted Hall

Overview

Explore the peaceful riverside location and Sir Christopher Wren’s iconic architecture. The stunning buildings and extensive grounds tell 600 years of remarkable history that lists an incredible cast of monarchs and famous British figures, from Henry VIII and Elizabeth I to Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson.

Visit ‘Britain’s Sistine Chapel’, Sir James Thornhill’s breath-taking Baroque Painted Hall and its neighbour, the glorious Chapel of St Peter and Paul. Escape the crowds and discover 40,000 square feet of awe-inspiring painted walls and ceiling.

Named “the most popular filming location in the world” by Empire Magazine, the Old Royal Naval College is the setting for hundreds of blockbuster films and TV series including Pirates of the Caribbean, Les Misérables, The Crown and Bridgerton.

See the reopened Nelson Room
The unique architecture of the Nelson Room has been carefully conserved, including its imposing roof lantern, monumental stonework, and Swedish marble flooring – the marble flagstones were selected by Sir Christopher Wren himself. A ‘Pepper’s Ghost’ display illuminates Nelson’s lying-in-state, while a bronze sculpture called Breaking the Line, by Antony Dufort pays tribute to the many sailors who fought at Trafalgar and later became ‘Greenwich Pensioners’ at the Royal Hospital for Seamen.

'600 Years of History' Tours
Take a tour of this magnificent 17-acre riverside estate in the heart of the Greenwich Maritime UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tickets include access to the breath-taking Painted Hall, which took 19 years to Paint, known and ‘the UK’s Sistine Chapel’.
The award-winning site tour is included in your visit, where you’ll learn of the fascinating 600-year story of this site, including being the birthplace of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.
Meet at the Visitor Centre to join a 45-minute tour of the spectacular grounds. The tour leaves daily at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm (and finishes at the entrance to the Painted Hall).

NEW EXHIBITION: Chocolate House Greenwich (29 March - 03 November 2024)
Step back in time to the 18th century, and discover the history and appeal of chocolate with a recreation of Grace and Thomas Tosier’s famous ‘royal’ Chocolate House.
From its origins in Central America to becoming the mark of sophistication amongst London’s Enlightenment movement’s movers and shakers, this new exhibition traces the journey of chocolate and its impact on Georgian Greenwich society. Discover the complex history of chocolate and its role at the heart of new cultural and scientific conversations of the time.
Entry is included with the Painted Hall general admission.

Painted Hall Talks
A cast of over 200 fascinating characters are assembled on the ceiling and walls of the Painted Hall. Join one of our experts for a 30-minute talk explaining the history and stories behind the painting.
Talks run regularly between 11am and 4pm. Gather at the meeting point in the Painted Hall Vestibule to join the next talk.

Painted Hall tickets also include entry to the Chapel and Skittle Alley, a rare example of an early skittle alley, with a fascinating insight into the lives of the Greenwich Pensioners who inhabited the site.

NEW EXHIBITION: Mars in the Painted Hall (23 November - 28 January 2025)
Luke Jerram’s astonishing installation Mars is coming to the Painted Hall this winter. Following the sell-out success of Gaia and Museum of the Moon, Mars will complete the trilogy of Jerram’s out-of-this-world installations at the iconic Old Royal Naval College.
Measuring seven metres in diameter, this spellbinding artwork features detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface recreated to scale. Slowly rotating against the spectacular backdrop of the Painted Hall, this unique pairing will bring two breathtaking works of art together, merging science with history, myth and allegory.


Usual opening hours
The Painted Hall, Chapel and Visitor Centre are open daily, 10am–5pm.
The grounds are open daily 8am–11pm.

Please note the following upcoming Painted Hall closures and notices:
Saturday 24 August – early closure at 2pm
Monday 2 September – full closure
Tuesday 3 September – early closure at 3pm
Saturday 7 September – early closure at 3.30pm
Sunday 8 September – Friday 13 September – full closure
Saturday 14 September – late opening at 2pm
Sunday 22 September – early closure at 1pm
Monday 23 September – full closure
Friday 22 November – full closure
Thursday 12 December – early closure at 4pm
Tuesday 24 December – Thursday 26 December – all day
Wednesday 29 January 2025 – full closure

The Chapel will close:
Tuesday 3 September – all day
Thursday 11 July – from 12.30pm to 3.10pm.
Monday 15 July – Friday 19 July – all day
Monday 28 October – Friday 1 November – all day

All opening times are subject to change. Please check before visiting.