The Historic Dockyard Chatham
With a National Art Pass you get
The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a unique 80-acre site by the River Medway, comprising historic buildings, museums galleries and warships.
A must-visit for anyone interested in Britain’s rich maritime history. This former Royal Navy dockyard has been preserved and transformed into a museum complex, providing a wealth of activities and attractions for visitors of all ages for over 40 years.
Learn the ropes
Chatham is the only one of the original four Royal Navy Ropeyards that remains in operation. Walk the iconic ropewalk and witness the ancient craft of rope making in action.
Interactive exhibits
Immerse yourself in a vivid walking cinema and explore interactive galleries. Visit ‘The Victory Gallery’ where you can see a model of HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, and ‘Timbers of Namur’ - an archeological discovery of a gunship discovered beneath a Wheelwrights Shop in 1995.
Discover historic ships
Climb aboard historic warships including the HMS Cavalier, which is preserved as The National Destroyer Memorial commemorating lives lost during the Second World War. You can also take a tour of the HM Submarine Ocelot, the last warship built at Chatham for the Royal Navy.
Explore the Smithery
Discover permanent and temporary exhibitions of artefacts from the Royal Museums Greenwich and Imperial War Museums, elsewhere, you will also find the UK's largest collection of historic lifeboats.
Did you know?…
The dockyard's historic buildings and streets have been used as film locations for huge period drama series’ including The Crown, Call the Midwife and Bridgerton.
Visitor information
Address
Western Avenue, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4TY
01634 823800
Opening times
Open daily from February – November.
Please check website for most up to date times.
Visitor information
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.