The Cutty Sark was one of the fastest ships in the 19th century, when it carried back the new season’s tea from China.

From the deck, visitors get an idea of the enormous size of the boat and the height of its masts, with their 11 miles of rigging. At one end of the ship are the Captain’s living quarters, faithfully restored down to the last detail (including the Captain and his dog!) His dining room is also on view, complete with a table laid for a sumptuous meal.

Down the hall, and in stark contrast, are the crew’s cabins with rows of bunks, some of them occupied! All the repairs needed on the boat were done in a small cabin where you can see an engineer working with a selection of 19th Century tools. Below deck, you’ll find a series of illustrations that tell you everything you need to know about this ship and others that braved the sea. 

Don’t forget to take the stairs down to the lower level (where the tea cases would have been stored) to see a marvellous collection of some of the wooden-carved statues which graced the stern of ships in this period. Most of them are of famous figures of the epoch, such as Gladstone and Florence Nightingale, with stories of their own.

Cutty Sark Museum Ship
King William Walk, London SE10 9HT