Textised! : The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Your voyage of discovery starts here DIVE IN

VISIT THE HISTORIC DOCKYARD CHATHAM

PAY FOR A DAY, VISIT FREE FOR ONE YEAR

A visit to The Historic Dockyard Chatham is a guaranteed adventure. Let your heart set sail through the tides of history. A fantastic day out in Kent awaits.

OPENING TIMES

10am – 5pm

ADMISSION

BOOK ONLINE & SAVE

Book at least one day in advance and get an online discount

TICKETS AND PRICING

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SET SAIL TODAY

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Not to be missed

[Image: Call The Midwife Offical Location Tour]

Separately Ticketed

Tour

Call the Midwife Official Location Tour

01 Mar – 31 Oct 2025

[Image: Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks]

Included in ticket

Exhibition

Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks

08 Mar – 16 Nov 2025

[Image: Summer Holidays 2025 – Brickwrecks: Time Travellers Assemble]

Included in ticket

Family Activity

Summer Holidays 2025 – Brickwrecks: Time Travellers Assemble

23 Jul – 31 Aug 2025

Included in ticket

Railway

Summer Holidays 2025 – Railway Operating Days

26 Jul – 27 Jul 2025

[Image: Stories of the Seas]

Included in ticket

Family Activity

Summer Holidays 2025 – Stories of the Seas

26 Jul – 31 Aug 2025

[Image: Salute to the '40s]

Separately Ticketed

Event

Salute to the ’40s 2025

Selected dates in Nov & Dec 2025

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ATTRACTIONS

THINGS TO
SEE AND DO

The story of Chatham Dockyard and its people can be discovered in our immersive exhibition galleries, such as Command of the Oceans and The Ropery. Explore three historic warships to learn about warship construction, refit and repair and examine important objects related to the Dockyard and the wider maritime world from the collections of Royal Museums Greenwich and Imperial War Museums.

Access to all galleries and ships is included in your admission ticket. Click on the tiles below to explore further …

Command of the Oceans

[Image: No. 1 Smithery]

[Image: HMS Cavalier]

HMS Cavalier

HM Submarine Ocelot

[Image: RNLI Lifeboat Gallery]

RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection

Steam, Steel & Submarines

Hearts of Oak

3 Slip: The Big Space

[Image: Garden view of Commissioners House at The Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent]

THE Commissioner’s Garden

Collections

EXPLORE OVER 70,000 objects STEEPED in 400 years of BRITISH history

View collections

DIVE DEEPER

A place like no other

Whether you’re a teacher, a group organiser or a party planner, we can facilitate a huge range of different visit types.

You might also be surprised to know, we’re a place where over 100 businesses have chosen to locate, that over 400 people call home and where over 600 people study with the University of Kent.

EDUCATIONAL VISITS

Learning & Schools

Dive into a learning experience like no other with educational tours and learning for all ages.

Additionally, students can take part in Arts Award projects led by our trained Arts Award advisers.

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GROUP VISITS

GREAT GROUP VISITS IN KENT

Whether you’re a Group Travel Organiser or Youth Group Leader, Language School or Tour Operator we have have group experiences and packages designed to suit your needs.

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Master Ropemakers

showing you the ropes for generations

In the heart of the Dockyard is Master Ropemakers Ltd, a traditional manufacturing company offering bespoke design and manufacture.

FIND OUT MORE

VENUE HIRE

ALL HANDS ON DECK for your perfect event

Complete with spectacular, breath-taking architecture, our historic venues are well equipped with modern facilities for events of all sizes.

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PHOTOGRAPHY & FILMING

A UNIQUE HISTORIC FILM LOCATION

A unique historic film location with genuine Victorian and Georgian buildings, cobbled streets, warehouses, docksides and historic warships, thus making us the ideal location for your next shoot.

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WORK ON THE DOCKYARD

commercial property to rent

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is more than a museum and visitor attraction, it is also one amazing place to live and work.

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Tie the knot at the Dockyard

Your Dream Kent Wedding

We have four stunning historic venues, for you to say ‘I do’. We’ll take your vision and bring it to life creating the day of your dreams.

Find out more

OUR CHARITY

The most complete and best preserved dockyard of the age of sail

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is in the stewardship of independent charity, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.

The Trust aims to not only set the benchmark in maintaining excellence in the sympathetic preservation and use of The Historic Dockyard Chatham, its buildings, ships and collections through diverse re-use, but also to engage the widest possible audiences in learning about the significance and history of the former Royal Dockyard.

Our work

We work in a number of different ways to fulfil our charitable objectives of preservation and learning. The majority of our operating income is generated through these charitable activities as well as a range of commercial trading activities.

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Our vision & strategy

Our core charitable objectives of “learning” and “preservation” are achieved through a robust strategy of preservation through reuse.

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Jobs & Volunteering

Do you have a passion for history? For education? For delivering an extraordinary experience? Come and join the crew.

Find out more

Join the conversation

Share your day and remember to tag us…

Dockyard Apiary: Buzzing with Progress 🐝 The D [Image: Dockyard Apiary: Buzzing with Progress 🐝 The Dockyard Apiary is an urban beekeeping initiative that was originally established with the Medway Beekeepers Association in 2020. Aware of the general decline of species of bees in Kent due to pesticides, diseases and habitat loss, we wanted to commit to a long-term project to support the local ecosystem and improve biodiversity on Dockyard estate. Nestled in a secluded corner by the Main Gate, the Dockyard Apiary is protected by a historic corrugated roof structure. It was once the bike shed for rope makers working in the adjacent Ropery. The bees gently hum and buzz their way through the surrounding wildflower meadow that has been planted to provide them with vital nectar and pollen. 🍯 Take home your own jar of Dockyard honey, available to buy in the Ropery shop. 🍯 🐝 Find out more about how the Apiary is doing this year: https://thedockyard.co.uk/dockyard-apiary-buzzing-with-progress/]

✨ WIN a Family Ticket for Summer Fun at the Dock [Image: ✨ WIN a Family Ticket for Summer Fun at the Dockyard ✨ The Historic Dockyard Chatham's new tour guide, Deckster, needs your help! He has tried to improve his knowledge of the Dockyard but has managed to get lost! To enter our competition, you need to: 👇 Comment below where you think Deckster is hanging out. 👫Tag your best time travelling buddy. ⏰ Deadline: 23.59 on Friday 25 July 🎁 Prize is one (1) Family (2 adults & 2 children) to The Historic Dockyard Chatham. Winner will selcted at random from Facebook and Instagram. 🤞 Good Luck! 🍀]

🌞 Start Summer with a Journey Through Time 🌞 [Image: 🌞 Start Summer with a Journey Through Time 🌞 📍 Brickwrecks: Time Travellers Assemble 📅 23 July - 31 August 🎟 Included with standard Dockyard ticket This summer, grab your Time Travel Passport and join Deckster on a fun-filled journey through centuries of Dockyard history. Explore different time periods, meet characters from the past, complete challenges and collect passport stamps as you go. 👉 Meet Deckster, your time travelling guide: https://bit.ly/CHDT_Time-Travellers-Assemble]

Have you discovered rope made at The Historic Dock [Image: Have you discovered rope made at The Historic Dockyard Chatham? 🪢 The Master Ropemakers manufacture and sell rope to customers across the world using a rope-making process that dates back more than 400 years. Summer is here, and with it comes a long list of garden jobs that need doing — from staking plants to tying up climbing beans or edging garden borders. The flower beds of Commissioner's House have been edged with 96mm coir rope. Coir is a brilliant slug and snail deterrent - they hate it! 🛍The Master Ropemakers are currently offering 10% off coir with code: COIR10 👉 Shop rope products: https://bit.ly/MRM_Home-Garden]

As a part of this weekend's Chatham & District Mod [Image: As a part of this weekend's Chatham & District Model Railway Club Model Railway Show, take the opportunity to take the controls of a real steam locomotive for just £10! 🚂 Experience the thrill of the rails with "Driver for a Tenner". Step onto the footplate and take the controls of Peckett No.1631 'Marcia', one of the UK’s smallest standard-gauge steam engines in operation. Feel the heat of the firebox and learn the basics of driving a steam engine under the guidance of our expert crew. Whether you're a lifelong rail enthusiast or simply looking for a unique and unforgettable experience, this hands-on introduction to steam power puts you right in the driver’s seat. No previous experience required – over 18s only. 📸 Justin Longley-Newing]

Launched in 1962, HM Submarine OCELOT was the last [Image: Launched in 1962, HM Submarine OCELOT was the last warship built at Chatham for the Royal Navy. She was one of 57 submarines built between 1908 and 1966 and served during the Cold War in the Arctic, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. Whilst you can't stand on OCELOT during your visit to the Dockyard, you can go inside for a tour. Take the opportunity to swing through the hatches and peer through the periscope of OCELOT on a visit to the Dockyard. Timed tours run daily and can be booked on arrival. 📍HM Submarine OCELOT 🎟 Included with standard Dockyard ticket.]

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Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust,
1st Floor North, Fitted Rigging House
Anchor Wharf, The Historic Dockyard,
Chatham,
Kent ME4 4TZ

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OUR CHARITY

Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust is a Registered Charity No. 292101

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