Explore seven of the world’s most significant and best-preserved museum ships, from a historic tea clipper to polar exploration vessels and a US Navy battleship. These vessels offer a tangible connection to naval and maritime history, showcasing shipbuilding innovation and the lives of those who served on the high seas.
The Royal Yacht Britannia: A famous historic vessel
Moored in the port of Leith, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Royal Yacht Britannia served the British Royal Family for 44 years. Commissioned in 1953, she sailed over a million miles, hosting state visits and acting as the royal holiday home. The vessel is notable for her sheer longevity of service and her unique blend of naval and civilian design.
Visitors can explore the State Apartments, the crew’s quarters, and the engine room, gaining insight into both royal life and the workings of a sophisticated 20th-century vessel. Britannia is considered the most famous former royal yacht in the world.
The Brig Amity museum ship (and its role in Australian history)
The Brig Amity is a replica of the square-rigged ship that brought the first European settlers to Western Australia in 1826, leading to the foundation of the Albany settlement. Located in Albany, the ship’s story is key to understanding the region’s colonial history.
The vessel itself is a full-scale replica, meticulously constructed to represent the original vessel’s size and design, including the cramped living conditions. While the original Brig Amity was broken up in 1849, this faithful recreation serves as a major maritime history landmark and a significant local cultural attraction.
The Battleship USS Iowa: A historic example of an Iowa-class warship
The Battleship USS Iowa (BB-61), permanently docked in the Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro, California, is one of the United States’ most decorated battleships. It is the only ship of its class on the West Coast to be open to the public. Her notable history includes serving in the Second World War and the Korean War, as well as hosting three US presidents.
Visitors can explore the bridge, the massive 16-inch gun turrets, and the distinctive, custom-fitted President Franklin D Roosevelt’s bathtub, a feature unsurprisingly unique to this class of battleship. The USS Iowa remains an icon of naval power and engineering. Book tickets online.
The Cutty Sark: The world’s sole surviving tea clipper
Permanently located in a dry dock in Greenwich, London, England, the Cutty Sark is the world’s last remaining original extreme clipper ship. Launched in 1869, she was designed for the high-speed China tea trade, representing the pinnacle of sailing ship design and speed.
The vessel is distinctive for its revolutionary iron framework and teak planking, with approximately 90% of her hull fabric remaining original. Following a major restoration, she is exhibited uniquely, raised above the ground, allowing visitors to walk directly beneath her famed copper hull and view the world’s largest collection of figureheads. Book tickets in advance.
The HMS Belfast museum ship: A surviving Second World War light cruiser
Moored on the River Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, the HMS Belfast is a preserved Royal Navy light cruiser operated by the Imperial War Museums. Launched in 1938, she played a crucial role in the Second World War, including the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst during the Battle of North Cape.
She also provided crucial fire support during the Korean War. Exploring its nine decks offers a visceral look at life at sea for a wartime crew, with notable areas including the gun turrets, operations room, and the cramped living quarters on the Arctic messdeck.
The Fram: The world’s most famous wooden polar vessel
The Fram is a historic exploration vessel housed within the Fram Museum on the Bygdøy peninsula in Oslo, Norway. She holds the distinction of being the ship that has sailed furthest north and furthest south of any wooden vessel.
Fram was uniquely designed by Colin Archer for polar expeditions, with an exceptionally strong, rounded hull that allowed the ship to be lifted by crushing ice rather than being destroyed. She was used by three legendary Norwegian explorers: Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, and Roald Amundsen, making her an icon of polar history. Book tickets to skip queues.
USS Constellation: A historic sloop-of-war museum ship
Moored in Baltimore’s Inner Harbour, Maryland, USA, the USS Constellation is a historic sloop-of-war, launched in 1854. She holds the distinction of being the last sail-only warship built by the United States Navy.
Her service history includes anti-slavery patrols off the coast of Africa before the American Civil War and humanitarian missions during the Irish famine. Visitors to this historic navy vessel can explore her four decks, learn about her diverse missions, and appreciate her elegant design, which represents a transition period in naval technology before the era of steam power.
