Behind the Scenes Tours at the National Maritime Museum's Ship Model Store

Come join us for a tour behind the scenes to see the extraordinary model collection of the National Maritime Museum, held at the No.1 Smithery in the Historic Dockyard Chatham, and learn about the amazing stories they tell. These 1-hour tours are led by our Curator of Ship Models and Small Boats, Simon Stephens, and offer a peak into the Everyday Histories of the people who made the models and sailed on the ships.

Please note that if you wish to visit other sites at the Historic Dockyard before or after your tour, an admission charge will apply.

Timings

Friday 18 September:

Tour 1 - 11:00am - 12:00pm; Tour 2 - 13:00pm - 14:00pm; Tour 3 - 15:00pm - 16:00pm

Location & directions

No.1 Smithery, The Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4TY

Directions:

Directions to the Historic Dockyard, Chatham can be found on their website: https://thedockyard.co.uk/plan-your-visit/opening-times-directions/. Upon arrival at the Visitor Entrance and Discovery Centre, you can ask for further directions to the No.1 Smithery. The Tour will begin and end in the No.1 Smithery entrance hall.

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Please contact [email protected] to book onto the tours. We will be in touch to confirm your booking or to let you know if all spaces have been filled. You can also use this address to contact us with any other questions about the tour or access.

Booking contact name:

Louise Bascombe

Booking email:

[email protected]

Booking opens:

21 Aug 2026 12:00 AM

Booking closes:

11 Sep 2026 12:00 PM

Accessibility details

Whilst we are able to cater to both wheelchair and mobility scooter users in the store, some areas may be difficult to access or inaccessible for larger equipment. Viewing the models may still be possible from a distance and we will do what we can to accommodate on the day. Access requirements can be arranged in advance by contacting us at: [email protected].

Additional information

No food and drink is allowed in the stores. Photography without flash is allowed for personal use only. Videos are not allowed. No tripods or filming equipment are allowed. Please do not bring any large luggage items.

Max number of people:

10

Estimated duration:

1 hour(s) 0 minute(s)

Back to results