Summer of Survival: A Summer of Adventure Aboard The Golden Hinde
From Saturday 25 July to Sunday 30 August, our Summer of Survival programme invited visitors to explore the skills, knowledge and resourcefulness that have helped people adapt, endure and thrive throughout history.
Across five themed weeks, the programme journeyed from the experiences of Tudor sailors attempting to circumnavigate the globe to survival in the Arctic and Antarctic, before returning to the practical skills that sailors have relied upon at sea for centuries. Through interactive talks, guided tours, informal interpretation and hands-on workshops, visitors were able to encounter these stories in the unique surroundings of The Golden Hinde.
Surviving a voyage around the world
The summer began by asking a deceptively simple question: what did it take to survive a circumnavigation of the globe in the sixteenth century?
During the opening week, visitors discovered some of the challenges faced by Tudor sailors during months at sea. Interactive talks and tours explored everything from finding food and fresh water to treating illness and coping with the physical and emotional demands of being away from home for long periods.
The week also put visitors' own seafaring skills to the test with a special day of Rope Craft workshops. Younger explorers created rope bracelets inspired by the ship's rigging, while older participants tackled the famous monkey's fist knot to create their own nautical keyrings.
Our Rope Craft workshops gave visitors the chance to try their hand at traditional knotwork and take home their own nautical creation.
Adventures aboard
During Weeks Two and Four, the programme opened up into Adventures Aboard, giving visitors more opportunities to explore the ship and discover the stories behind The Golden Hinde and her remarkable voyage around the world.
Our crew were on hand throughout the weeks with guided tours, informal interpretation and ad hoc talks and activities, allowing visitors to encounter different stories as they made their way around the ship. From the decks to the cabins below, the ship itself became part of the experience – offering a glimpse into what life might have been like for those undertaking extraordinary voyages hundreds of years ago.
From Bankside to the Poles
For Week Three, the programme travelled much further afield with Polar Survival.
Visitors journeyed to the Arctic and Antarctic to discover how explorers and indigenous communities have survived in some of the world's harshest environments, examining the technologies, knowledge and survival skills developed in response to extreme climates.
The week's special Inuit Art & Scrimshaw workshop offered another opportunity to get hands-on. Inspired by Inuit ivory carvings and the historic folk art of scrimshaw, visitors could create sculptures inspired by Arctic animals or try carving soap scrimshaw using animal-friendly materials.
Polar Survival took us beyond the Tudor world, exploring the ingenuity and skills used to survive in Arctic environments.
Putting survival skills to the test
For our final week, attention returned to the sea with Sailor's Survival Skills.
From tying knots to navigating dangerous waters, visitors explored some of the practical techniques and knowledge that have helped sailors survive at sea for centuries. The week's talks and activities considered the resourcefulness required to endure life on the ocean, connecting the experiences of sailors in the past with maritime skills that continue to be used today.
The final week of Summer of Survival explored the practical skills, knowledge and resourcefulness needed for life at sea.
A summer aboard The Golden Hinde
Across five weeks, Summer of Survival gave families the chance to approach the history of exploration from a different perspective – not simply asking where people travelled, but how they managed to survive the journey.
From Tudor sailors searching for fresh water to communities adapting to life in polar environments, the programme explored the ingenuity, knowledge and practical skills that have enabled people to endure some of the world's most challenging conditions. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us aboard over the summer and to our crew for bringing five weeks of stories, activities and adventures to life.
From Summer of Survival to Heritage Open Days
The adventure didn't quite end with the summer holidays. On Saturday 12 September, two of our Summer of Survival activities returned as part of Heritage Open Days 2026, coinciding with celebrations marking 30 years of The Golden Hinde in Bankside.
Our free family Ropecraft and Scrimshaw workshops gave visitors another opportunity to get hands-on with the skills and traditions explored over the summer. Families created their own rope bracelets using techniques inspired by life at sea, before discovering the history of scrimshaw and creating sculptures inspired by Arctic wildlife or trying their hand at soap carving.
Both workshops completely sold out and were a fantastic success, bringing families aboard to explore the everyday skills, craftsmanship and creativity connected with life at sea. It was a wonderful way to revisit two highlights from Summer of Survival while taking part in this year's Heritage Open Days celebrations.
Our summer may be over, but there's plenty more happening aboard. Keep an eye on our What's On page and social channels for upcoming family activities, workshops and special events aboard The Golden Hinde.
