The tales of action films and pantomimes are given a run for their money by true stories in Pirates, a new exhibition at the UK National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.
The two-part exhibition starts with popular depictions of piracy, including a display on Robert Louis Stevenson's ever-enduring Treasure Island – which played a major role in defining the image of the pirate in the public imagination.
A particular highlight is the inclusion of the original moving carboard cutouts used to animate the iconic children's television show Captain Pugwash.
Pirate film lovers are also well catered for, with costumes on display including the clothes worn by actor Orlando Bloom in the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean.
The second half of the exhibition introduces figures from the real-life history books, including Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach, Henry Morgan and the notorious William Kidd, whose original commission as a British privateer counts among the museum's impressive collection of artefacts.
Also given attention are some lesser-known figures such as Zheng Yi Sao, often described as the most successful female pirate of all time, commanding a pirate fleet of over 400 junks which often came into conflict major European powers.
Central to the exhibition is an emphasis on piracy as a real and ongoing issue. The exhibits are connected by a narrative around the issues that lead to spikes in pirate activity, including poverty, lack of opportunity and geopolitical conflict.
While the popular image of the pirate may be one of freedom and fun, the exhibition acknowledges that the reality of pirate attacks is much darker for merchant seafarers, and the curators highlight the Tom Hanks film Captain Phillips as an unusual example of a Hollywood movie that shows piracy as Nautilus members understand it.
The closing exhibit serves as a poignant reminder of this reality for modern seafarers, displaying a map showing cases of pirate attacks and hijacking globally over the past five years.
- Pirates is a ticketed exhibition at the UK National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London, from 29 March 2025 – 4 January 2026. Find out more here
Listen to the real Captain Phillips on the Nautilus podcast Off Course!
Merchant Navy shipmaster Richard Phillips told us about his famous piracy ordeal in his own words – and he has some personal insights that fellow seafarers will want to hear.
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