Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre

Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre is a new permanent exhibition, Tourist Information Centre, Brewery cafe, and learning center. Opened in 2010, Discover Greenwich is housed in the Pepys Building of the Old Royal Naval College and is the first building you see from Greenwich Pier.

Discover Greenwich has a permanent exhibition, grouped into eight themes, around a central circular glass model of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. The themes are:

• Greenwich Palace
  Calling on Greenwich's connection to Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, you'll see a reproduction Tudor stained glass window and a Witch bottle. What's that you ask? It's a 17th-century jug, found near the site of Greenwich Palace, containing fingernails, a lock of hair, iron nails, and urine, and was intended to ward off a witch's curse.
• The Royal Hospital for Seamen
  Wounded sailors who had fought for their country in the Royal Navy came to live here. The displays give an insight into the daily life of a Greenwich Pensioner. You can enter a cabin to get a real feel for how small it would have been. And be prepared to be shouted at by a Pepper's Ghost of a Trafalgar Veteran, called Joe Brown, talking about his experiences and life at the Hospital.
• Royal Naval College
  In the 1860s the Pensioners moved out, the Royal Navy moved in, and the Royal Naval College became a prestigious training establishment.
• Architecture
  The list of those who shaped the world famous buildings and landscape of the Old Royal Naval College and Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site reads like a roll call of the greatest architects of their time: Inigo Jones, André Le Nôtre,Sir Christopher Wren, Nicholas Hawksmoor, Sir John Vanbrugh, and James 'Athenian' Stuart.
• Craftsmanship
  Building and decorative crafts of the highest quality have featured in the history of the Old Royal Naval College site ever since Tudor times.

• River
  The history of Greenwich is inextricably linked to the River Thames, and the river has played a huge part in its development.
• Old Royal Naval College & Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site Today
  You can collect free walking tour cards here to go and explore Greenwich more thoroughly.
• Greenwich Views
  Showing how cultural, scientific, and industrial innovations in Greenwich have changed the world.

Top tips:
• Visit Discover Greenwich when you first arrive at Greenwich as the Tourist Information Centre can answer all of your questions and the permanent exhibition brings the area to life.
• Upstairs there is a Clore Learning Centre, but halfway up the stairs you can pop your head into an empty picture frame - it makes a funny photo opportunity!
• There are family activities in the Learning Centre during school holidays.

Do spend some time admiring the building's architecture and exploring the area as the Old Royal Naval College is a complex of buildings where you'll also find the Painted Hall and the Chapel, both of which are free to visit. You will also most likely hear the Trinity Music College students practicing and so making a walk in this area even more lovely.

The Old Brewery, run by the Meantime Brewery, is a the restaurant, café, bar, and brewery in the part of the building that was the pensioner's brewery when it was The Royal Hospital for Seamen. It's a cafe during the day and a restaurant and bar by night; and when we have sunny days you can use the large courtyard for spectacular water views.

This part of the building had been bricked up for over 100 years but looks fantastic now and has a stunning beer bottle ceiling display. Excellent beers are served throughout the day, using brewing techniques dating back 250 years. Do try the 'Hospital Porter' which at 8% packs a mean punch. In 1750, London was the center of the brewing world and the Meantime Brewery Master Brewers are using the same traditional production methods.

Address:
The Pepys Building
King William Walk
Greenwich
London
SE10 9LW

Telephone: 020 8269 4747

Admission:
Free admission to Discover Greenwich, Painted Hall & Chapel.

Opening Hours:
Grounds open daily: 08:00–18:00
Discover Greenwich (includes Shop & Tourist Information Centre) open daily 10:00–17:00
Closed 24 and 25 December

The Old Brewery - Open seven days a week:
Café: 10:00-17:00
Restaurant: 18:00-23:00
Bar: 11:00- 23:00 Mon to Sat / 12:00–22:30 Sun

Official Website: www.ornc.org

Disclosure: The company provided free access to this service for review purposes. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.