Visiting the Cutty Sark with children: everything you need to know

What is the Cutty Sark?

The Cutty Sark is a tea clipper ship built in Scotland in 1869, designed for speed and originally dedicated to the China tea trade during the Victorian era.

Though its tea trading career was relatively short – cut short by the opening of the Suez Canal – the ship went on to achieve fame in the Australian wool trade, breaking speed records under Captain Richard Woodget. After serving as a cargo ship and nearly being scrapped, the Cutty Sark was saved by a retired sea captain, Wilfred Dowman, who restored it and eventually donated it to become a training ship.

Today, the Cutty Sark serves as a museum ship and a part of maritime history.

Where is the Cutty Sark?

The Cutty Sark is located in Greenwich in a dry dock on the bank of the River Thames and just minutes from Tourist Information and the Royal Naval College. Its masts make it hard to miss in Greenwich.

How much does it cost to go in the Cutty Sark?

As at March 2025, entrance to the Cutty Sark costs:

• Adult – £22;
• Child (age 4-15) – £11; and
• Child (under 4) – free

Various concession tickets are available, including Universal Credit tickets (see our post for more attractions that offer discounts for those in receipt of Universal Credit and other benefits).

If you intend to see more than one attraction in Greenwich, you might find that a family membership to Royal Museums Greenwich works out cheaper – this gets you free unlimited entry to the Royal Observatory, Peter Harrison Planetarium, Cutty Sark and exhibitions at the National Maritime Museum (along with a number of other discounts).

If you have adventurous older kids (10+), consider a Cutty Sark rig climb – this experience offers you the chance to climb the ropes of the Cutty Sark and experience what it would have been like to be a sailor. This experience is only available at certain times and is more expensive than a regular ticket but does include general admission.

Do you need tickets for the Cutty Sark?

You will need tickets in order to visit the Cutty Sark.

When is the Cutty Sark open?

The Cutty Sark is open daily from 10am-5pm (last entry 4.15pm).

What is the nearest tube to the Cutty Sark?

Greenwich is best served by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) which is well connected with the tube network.

The nearest DLR stations are Cutty Sark and, slightly further away, Greenwich. Alternatively, Island Gardens is located just across the river but is connected with Greenwich by the foot tunnel that goes under the river.

How do you get into the Cutty Sark?

The entrance to the Cutty Sark is at the rear (the aft!) of the ship, via doors into the glass and steel ‘sea’ frame on which the Cutty Sark now sits. You will enter the gift shop and the ticket counter is in the gift shop area.

Do I have to queue for the Cutty Sark?

You may find that there is a queue to enter, depending on when you visit. At peak holiday periods and at busy times you may find that you need to queue. Timed entry slot tickets can be booked online in advance.

The Cutty Sark is split up into four main areas:

• The Lower Hold;
• The Tween Deck;
• The Main Deck; and
• Dry Dock.

The Lower Hold

You enter the ship via the Lower Hold, which offers an insight into the ship’s history as a tea clipper.

Originally a utilitarian space used for ballast and cargo storage, the hold now serves as an educational exhibit that brings the ship’s story to life. Here you learn (through a video, displays and interactive exhibits) about the production methods of tea and the tea races that made ships like the Cutty Sark famous.

All of this is housed against the backdrop of the internal structure of the ship.

The Tween Deck

The next level up, the Tween Deck offers the chance to discover more about the post-tea trade era and life aboard ship.

Situated between the lower hold and the main deck, this level was originally designed for cargo storage and now serves as an immersive historical exhibit.

This level provides a look at the lives of the Cutty Sark’s crew, revealing their daily routines, personal stories, and shipboard experiences. Highlights include insights into the sailors’ living conditions, their meals, personal hobbies, and various roles aboard the ship.

This level contains various interactive exhibits, including a game where you navigate the winds in order to try and get the Cutty Sark back to London trying to beat Captain Woodget’s time, an exploration of sea shanties and other boat-related activities.

The Main Deck

Up on the main deck, you get a real sense of the ship’s daily life. Visitors can explore the various deckhouses that once housed the ship’s crew, including living quarters and the galley (kitchen) where meals were prepared.

The officers’ cabin provides insight into the living conditions of the ship’s leadership during its maritime voyages and is in sharp contrast to the crew’s quarters.

Perhaps most spectacular is the ship’s intricate rigging overhead, a masterpiece of maritime engineering that showcases the complex system of ropes and sails that powered this legendary clipper.

Dry Dock

The final area that you explore as part of your visit to the Cutty Sark is the dry dock area below the ship.

As part of the ship’s conservation, the Cutty Sark was lifted over three metres (10 feet) allowing visitors to walk beneath the ship itself – a unique experience.

In this area you can see a variety of ship figureheads and learn more about the origin of the name ‘Cutty Sark’. There are often child-friendly activities on in thus area. The cafe is also housed on this level, so you can refuel below the hull.

What age children is the Cutty Sark best for?

The Cutty Sark is probably best for children who are old enough to understand the role of the ship and who can put themselves in the place of those who would have lived and worked aboard. Ages 7-11 will likely enjoy visiting the Cutty Sark the most.

What facilities are there for children at the Cutty Sark?

There are a number of interactive exhibits on the Cutty Sark for keeping children’s interest, particularly on the Tween Deck. Keep an eye on what’s on, they often have special events like characters.

Step-free access is available at the Cutty Sark. There are no cloakroom facilities at the Cutty Sark but buggy parking is available in the dry dock.

Toilets, baby-change facilities and an accessible toilet are located in the lower ground floor by the café and in the access tower across from the Main Deck.

There is a cafe on the dry dock level, located underneath the copper hull of the Cutty Sark.