Monuments and Memorials
90–120 minutes
Free cancellation
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from
£15
per adult
Old Royal Naval College
Old Royal Naval College
4.5
Architectural BuildingsHistorical & Heritage ToursWalking ToursHistory MuseumsChurches & Cathedrals
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
The story of Greenwich starts here with 600 years of history.
Take an award winning tour of this magnificent 17-acre riverside estate - part of the Greenwich UNESCO world heritage site. Marvel at Sir Christopher Wren’s spectacular architecture and learn of the fascinating 600-year story of this site, including being the birthplace of Henry VIII. Visit the breath-taking Painted Hall (known as the UK's Sistine chapel), which took 19 years to Paint. (This is one of the most popular filming locations in the world including The Crown, Les Miserables, Thor, Cruella, Bridgerton and many more – book a "Blockbuster Film tour" to find out some trade secrets - limited availability.)
Tickets include standard guided tour which leaves the visitor centre hourly from 11am - 3pm. Painted Hall entry*, entry to the Visitor Centre, Chapel and the Skittle Alley (usually open from 12-3pm) where you can try your hand at Victorian bowling.
*Multimedia guides (7 languages)and guided tours every 30mins
London, England
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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Film Tours
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£15
per adult
Audio Guides
1 hour
Free cancellation
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from
£15
per adult
Historical Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
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from
£104
per adult
Day Trips
6–7 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£195
per adult
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(253 reviews)
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4.5
2,705 reviews
Excellent
2,118
Very good
478
Average
61
Poor
12
Terrible
36
Matthew B
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Family
Our tour guide Jim was absolutely fantastic - so informative, knowledgeable and funny. He made for a very memorable day.
Written 7 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rob B
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Family
Jim our tour guide was probably the best guide I've ever had on any tour I've done. His knowledge was faultless, he kept everyone so engaged and interested and had a great sense of humor too! He didn't skip a beat and was absolutely, 100% worth it.
Written 2 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cjbailey3
Southampton, UK2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Our tour guide Jim was enthusiastic, well informed and his presentation was slick and fascinating. Really recommend doing the tour of The Old Royal Naval College, and with Jim if you can!
Written 2 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rob H
13 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
This is such a beautiful building - inside and out!! I had a personal reason for wanting to visit in that one of my uncles trained here as one his way to taking up his position as a naval officer on board one of the Royal Navy's minesweepers during the war. (Apparently 27,000 men and women were trained here during the war alone).
The Painted Hall was my personal highlight and I was fortunate to join a tour of it from Mary, a lovely lady who enthusiastically passed on so many aspects of her knowledge and was totally absorbing. The work here of James Thornhill, which took 19 years to complete, was clearly highly painstaking but made him a very rich man by the time he'd finished!
In summary, it was fabulous just soaking up everything about the Old Royal Naval College
The Painted Hall was my personal highlight and I was fortunate to join a tour of it from Mary, a lovely lady who enthusiastically passed on so many aspects of her knowledge and was totally absorbing. The work here of James Thornhill, which took 19 years to complete, was clearly highly painstaking but made him a very rich man by the time he'd finished!
In summary, it was fabulous just soaking up everything about the Old Royal Naval College
Written 1 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chrisdodd4
London, UK399 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
I have always liked this Unesco World Heritage Site, The Old Navel College, for me standing proud at the bottom of the Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park ,you cannot marvel at its architecture.
So I was very fortunate, to book a tour of one of the magnificent Wren Dome tours, and he is what we uncovered on this October day.
We arrived at Greenwich train station and made our way through Greenwich town centre as it was Saturday the town was the usual hustle and bustle as you expected, we passed the famous tea clipper the Cutty Sark, we watched some Morris dancing see my picture below was quite a sight, before making our way to the Painted Hall visitor centre to check in, once we had we walked under the undercroft ,up the stairs to the chapel, we waited for our tour to start, we had to wait as the chapel was been used for a wedding which again was a bonus.
After a few moments our tour guide Antonio and Janice arrived, this tour is very new so you can only go in groups of 6 people just to let you know.
We then ascended up a flight of spiral stairs to different parts of the Dome, the climbing of the Dome was to celebrate the 300 year anniversary of Sir Christopher Wren Death in 1723, he lived until he died at the age 90, the feet was more as he was the only man to design a major cathedral and live to see it completed, other famous designs are the impressive St Paul’s Cathedral and Royal Hospital in Chelsea
So moving on with the tour, we climbed stairs, and took loads of pictures of the exceptional views, there are some pictures below but I did take a few.
Our guides went through loads of historical information and also there were ancient Graffiti hidden inside parts of the Dome Wooden infrastructure.
After 45 minutes we made our decent back to where we had started the tour, finally your ticket does include a look around the impressive Painted Hall so before you leave I suggest you give it a visit.
So in summary, this Wren Masterpiece just had to be visited on your bucket list, so well Dome Sir Christopher.
So I was very fortunate, to book a tour of one of the magnificent Wren Dome tours, and he is what we uncovered on this October day.
We arrived at Greenwich train station and made our way through Greenwich town centre as it was Saturday the town was the usual hustle and bustle as you expected, we passed the famous tea clipper the Cutty Sark, we watched some Morris dancing see my picture below was quite a sight, before making our way to the Painted Hall visitor centre to check in, once we had we walked under the undercroft ,up the stairs to the chapel, we waited for our tour to start, we had to wait as the chapel was been used for a wedding which again was a bonus.
After a few moments our tour guide Antonio and Janice arrived, this tour is very new so you can only go in groups of 6 people just to let you know.
We then ascended up a flight of spiral stairs to different parts of the Dome, the climbing of the Dome was to celebrate the 300 year anniversary of Sir Christopher Wren Death in 1723, he lived until he died at the age 90, the feet was more as he was the only man to design a major cathedral and live to see it completed, other famous designs are the impressive St Paul’s Cathedral and Royal Hospital in Chelsea
So moving on with the tour, we climbed stairs, and took loads of pictures of the exceptional views, there are some pictures below but I did take a few.
Our guides went through loads of historical information and also there were ancient Graffiti hidden inside parts of the Dome Wooden infrastructure.
After 45 minutes we made our decent back to where we had started the tour, finally your ticket does include a look around the impressive Painted Hall so before you leave I suggest you give it a visit.
So in summary, this Wren Masterpiece just had to be visited on your bucket list, so well Dome Sir Christopher.
Written 15 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg C
5 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Some may argue that the Painted hall in the Old Royal Naval College (ORNC) is really the gem in the crown of this historic royal maritime campus, but I would argue that it was the cherry on top of an excellent 45-minute guided tour with Jim, our tour guide. Jim really knows how to captivate his audience with a unique combination of dry English humour and an extensive knowledge of the ORNC. Book this tour, you won't be disappointed.
Written 9 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bálint D
3 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
We first went on a 45-minute guided tour with Jim, which was excellent (included in the ticket price). Jim was knowledgeable and funny and showed us many things we would not have noticed otherwise. The tour was almost fully outdoors so make sure you visit on a sunny day. Recommended for those interested in British history, architecture and/or film (as lots of famous ones were filmed here).
Then we visited the Painted Hall with a free audio guide. It's a mesmerising place with lots of details to spot. Make sure not to miss it, whether you just have a glimpse or spend an hour listening to all the information about the beautiful painted ceiling.
Then we visited the Painted Hall with a free audio guide. It's a mesmerising place with lots of details to spot. Make sure not to miss it, whether you just have a glimpse or spend an hour listening to all the information about the beautiful painted ceiling.
Written 7 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandra J
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Friends
We came to visit the Painted Hall and managed to get on the guided tour around the grounds of Greenwich (600 years of history) that was included in the admission ticket. The guide, Jim, was very knowledgeable, spoke very clearly, had a great sense of humour. The tour was 45 minutes long which wasn't too much and the content was very decent. We left with lots of new information learned. We never had a guide who taught us so much in such a short time. Thank you very much.
Written 7 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taylor
Laurel, MD33 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Beyond the beautiful grounds of the Old Royal Naval College, the Painted Hall was amazing. We caught the 600 Years of History tour (included with your ticket) and the amount of knowledge and things within the ceiling our tour guide pointed out to us was amazing. It was also interesting to read about the history of the property with it being a hospital and what they did for the soldiers & sailors there.
Written 25 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul H
Surrey, UK43 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
I can't help feeling they've missed a trick here. For some reason they charge you to get in the Naval College, but not for the Queen's House or Maritime Museum, while of the three there is by far the least to see here. The Painted Hall is a fantastic sight, and as the centrepiece of a visit would be great. But it isn't the centrepiece - it is the visit, it's the only thing really to see. The rest of the visit is just wandering around outside. If they made a bit of an effort to put on some other exhibits it would be more worth visiting. But this probably explains why there were very few people around when I visited. Note: I had a national museum pass so got in for half price, but still ... .
Written 18 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gillianbN4261PB
Thank you for visiting us, but it sounds that you may have missed the chance to enjoy a guided tour of our 17 acre estate (tours depart from the Visitor Centre on the hour), including the Visitor Centre, Chapel and entry to our Victorian Skittle Alley. Our tickets can be upgraded to an annual pass allowing guests to return for a year and enjoy our events and temporary exhibitions. If you did not get one of these and wish to return to see what you missed then please get in touch with our boxoffice.
Written 31 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
William G
Raleigh, NC2 contributions
Briefly in Greenwich later this year. If we purchase the First Sunday Tickets to view the Painted Hall, is it possible to be in, take a few pictures, and out again within a 1.5 hour span if we arrive at opening time? Are First Sundays different than the other open days?
jane j
Dursley, UK165 contributions
Yes, could be done easily.
Venture23084734671
1 contribution
Can I walk to it from Greenwich Park, if so how long will it take.
filrite
Greater London, UK298 contributions
Furthest entrance, up at Blackheath, would take you about 20-25 minutes, closest by the Maritime museum would be as long as it takes to get across the road unless anyone in your party has any mobility problems :-)
Is free entrance at Painted Hall ?
Old Royal Naval College
London, UK
Hi Doru, The Painted Hall reopened in March 2019 following a major conservation project. It now costs £12 for adults and is free for kids. This includes use of a multimedia guide and expert talks throughout the day in the Painted Hall, free kids activities and hands on exhibits. A guided tour of the whole of the Old Royal Naval College and entrance to the Victorian Skittle Alley is also included in your ticket price. For more information please see our website.
Nicola R
Amesbury, UK157 contributions
Is it easy to park at the college? I will have a car with me so keen to understand if I go to hotel first and then come across or can come directly to the college to look round.
Jackie D
London, UK13 contributions
You cannot park in the college grounds. There is an expensive car park at the other end of the college. It would be much better to park at the hotel. Besides it's lovely to walk to it as there's so much to see around there which you'll miss if you're driving and the traffic is always heavy.
p0llyanna17
Great Yarmouth, UK2 contributions
Where is a nice place to stay near the Navel College
Old Royal Naval College
London, UK
Hi p0llyanna17, we recommend checking out the Visit Greenwich website for recommendations on places to stay. We hope you enjoy your stay in Greenwich!
lisazeravica
Lusaka, Zambia7 contributions
How long does one need to see everything without rushing?
Old Royal Naval College
London, UK
Hello Lisa,
We would say you need at least an hour to take in the grounds and Visitor Centre. In addition you may choose to go on one of the daily 45 minute guided walks led by knowledgeable volunteers, which will enhance your experience of the site. The chapel is free to enter, barring closure for private events.
The Painted Hall is currently closed for our Painted Hall conservation project, where we are removing 50 years' worth of built up dirt from the beautiful painted ceiling. However, we are offering the exciting opportunity for people to go on Painted Hall Ceiling Tours, giving the rare chance of seeing the masterpiece up close from an observation deck. These tours will take around 45 minutes.
If you're interested in booking a ceiling tour or would like more information about visiting, please visit our website (address is listed on TripAdvisor- we can't post links here).
Thanks for your interest and we hope to see you soon!
Khalid A
184 contributions
how much tickets?
Old Royal Naval College
London, UK
Hi Khalid,
We are free to visit!
Thanks,
Andrew
globug24
Newport, UK70 contributions
are the music events held in the grounds
Old Royal Naval College
London, UK
Our summer music events are held in the grounds, most other events are held in our beautiful Chapel.