The Old Royal Naval College Greenwich home to the Painted Hall
The story of Greenwich starts here with 500 years of history.
Highlights
- Join regular award-winning tours throughout the day which tell the story of this magnificent riverside estate
- Explore the breath-taking 17th century Painted Hall that took 19 years to complete (known as the UK’s Sistine Chapel) with audio guide*
- Marvel at Sir Christopher Wren’s spectacular architecture that makes this is one of the most popular filming locations in the world. Film & TV including The Crown, Les Miserables, Thor: The Dark World, Cruella, Bridgerton and many more
- Visit the Chapel and see one of Britain’s finest eighteenth-century interiors
- Glimpse the remains of Greenwich Palace, only unearthed in 2016, the place where Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were born
- Try your hand at one of the last remaining Victorian Skittle Alleys.
What's included
- Entry to the Painted Hall. Open daily from 10am – 4.30 pm last admission (check website in case of any changes to opening times due to filming: https://ornc.org/plan-a-visit/)
- Public guided tours of the site running regularly throughout the day which include the Chapel and Visitor Centre (last tour leaves at 3pm)
- Entry to the Victorian Skittle Alley (open from 12 - 3pm subject to availability)
- * Multimedia audio guide for the Painted Hall (in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, German and Japanese).
- Personal expenses
Overview
The award winning site tour is included in your visit and runs hourly throughout the day with expert guides. The tour tells the story of the estate’s 500 years of history: from a manor house in 1420’s, rebuilt as Greenwich Palace for Henry VII and the birthplace of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I; to the commissioning of Sir Christopher Wren in 1694 by Royal warrant for the design of a Royal Hospital for Seamen; then in 1873 becoming the Royal Naval College. As the tour progresses, popular film locations will be pointed out, or take the Film & TV location tour to get some behind the scenes insights. Films include: The Crown, Les Miserables, Thor: The Dark World, Cruella, Bridgerton and many more.
Additional Information
PUBLIC TOUR SCHEDULE:
• The ‘500 Years of History’ Site Tour runs every day at 11am to 3pm (hourly)
• The Painted Hall talk runs every 30 minutes from 11am – 4pm (check for any Painted Hall closures). Audio guide available in 7 languages
• Film Tours run Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 and 14:30, in addition to the 500 years tour. These will also run Fri & Mon from 1st April – 28th August 2023, also at 12.30 and 2.30pm.
• Wren Tours will run on Thurs 12.30 and 2.30pm from 9th March – 28th Sept.
All tours are subject to availability.
Painted Hall Closed and site tours do not run 24th – 26th Dec.
Perfect to pair an itinerary with: -
• Other Greenwich locations incl. Royal Museums Greenwich (Royal Observatory/Cutty Sark/Maritime Museum/Queens House), the Fan Museum Greenwich (£5pp) and Greenwich Market.
• River cruises depart from the pier next door to the ORNC Visitor Centre going into central London and give access to central London & London Theatre.
Cancellation policy
No cancellation within 48 hours
