The UNESCO World Heritage Site will be opening its doors to the public from the 13th July.

It has been announced that on the 13th July, the Old Royal Naval College, part of Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site, in line with government advice, will be opening up to the public once more.

This news means that the public will be able to visit its buildings and expansive grounds with visitor and staff safety measures in place. Meanwhile, the Painted Hall, King William Undercroft and interpretation gallery are reopening for visitors with limited tickets each day and recommended advanced booking.

The Old Royal Naval College has also announced the launch of new smartphone tours for visitors to enjoy. The first of these is available for free on any smartphone using the Smartify app, will be a family tour for those
visiting with children aged 5 – 12 years. This Building Detectives tour takes families on a treasure trail around the outdoor spaces of the Old Royal Naval College. Following clues dotted around the site, the mission is to find out who the grand buildings were created for.

Meanwhile, the grounds will be open daily from 7am – 7pm. The Painted Hall, King William Undercroft, Visitor Centre Shop and Ticket Desk will be open from 10am – 5pm. The Chapel will be open on the reduced hours of 10am – 2pm. The Victorian Skittle Alley will remain closed until further notice.

Events coming up at the Old Royal Naval College include Greenwich+Docklands International Festival which has reimagined its 2020 festival to bring exciting outdoor arts to Greenwich and East London, from 28th August to 12th September. This year’s festival will celebrate the strength of community spirit, the NHS and the environment, encouraging audiences to relax after a season of isolation. The Luna Cinema will return with their open-air cinema to the riverside grounds this August with exciting films to sing and dance along to for long summer evenings.

Elsewhere, this Black History Month, the Old Royal Naval College will launch a timely exhibition aimed at understanding the diverse and intricate history of Greenwich and the Royal Hospital for Seamen. Curated by renowned Black British historian S. I. Martin, the exhibition will shine a light onGreenwich’s 18th and 19th Century history with stories of Black sailors in the British Navy.

Safety measures include the fact spaces must be booked in advance for tours while the Old Royal Naval College recommends that visitors bring their own headphones for the multimedia guides. Guided tours will be limited to groups of five people. Groups who wish to visit the site are welcome, with numbers limited to 25. Visitor-facing staff and volunteers will wear protective visors to ensure safety.

For more information about the Old Royal Naval College visit: https://ornc.org/