The National Maritime Museum will host the annual Caribbean Takeover on 25 July, a free, family-friendly celebration of Caribbean culture, history and heritage for visitors of all ages, curated in collaboration with the Caribbean Social Forum.
Now in its fifth year at the National Maritime Museum, the Caribbean Takeover brings together artists, historians, performers and community groups for a day of activity across the Museum and surrounding grounds. This year’s event marks the 60th anniversary of Notting Hill Carnival, celebrating the enduring influence of Caribbean culture in Britain.
The Caribbean Social Forum is a collective of community members based in Woolwich and Deptford, working together to promote social connection, learning and wellbeing through cultural activity. Their collaboration with the National Maritime Museum centres lived experience and community voices within the Museum programme.
Across the day, visitors will encounter live music and dance performances, talks and discussions, creative workshops and community-led displays. Highlights include steel pan music and African drumming across outdoor spaces, performances on the Ocean Map, and interactive experiences that bring Caribbean histories and cultural traditions into the Museum setting.
For more information visit: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum-queens-house/caribbean-takeover
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Welcome Ceremony
The day will begin with a welcome ceremony led by the Caribbean Social Forum on the Ocean Map, opening the event and introducing the programme of activities.
Live Performances and Music
Throughout the day, visitors will encounter live performances across the site, including African drumming, steel pan music, calypso dance and limbo, bringing Caribbean musical traditions to life.
Talks and Discussions
A programme of talks and discussions will take place in both the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House, featuring historians, writers and cultural practitioners exploring Caribbean history, heritage and contemporary culture.
Film screening and Q&A
Visitors can attend a screening of Milestone: Streets Paved with Gold, adapted from Victor Richards’ acclaimed one-man theatre play, followed by a Q&A session offering further insight into Caribbean-British experiences.
Family Activities and Educational Workshops
A range of hands-on workshops and activities will be available for families, including carnival headwear making, fibre and textile workshops and participatory folk song sessions celebrating Caribbean musical traditions.
Roaming Entertainment
Visitors will encounter a range of roaming performances and activities throughout the day, including a magician, caricature artist and Walking Images, where costumed performers bring historical Caribbean and Black British figures to life through interactive encounters across the Museum.
Games and Interactives
Interactive activities such as dominoes and other games will take place alongside community-led displays and remembrance installations curated by the Caribbean Social Forum.
ONLINE RESOURCES
How to research Jamaican family history
Discover how to trace family connections to the Caribbean using archival sources and research techniques, with guidance from Royal Museums Greenwich’s Library and Archive.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/ocean/library-archive/how-research-jamaican-family-history
The story behind… The Keeper of All The Secrets
Explore The Keeper of All The Secrets by artist Jacqueline Bishop, currently on display in the Queen’s House. This resource reveals the story behind the work and its connections to Caribbean histories, identity and memory, highlighting how contemporary artists engage with the legacies of empire and migration.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/art-culture/story-behind-keeper-all-secrets
Memories of the Caribbean
These reminiscence resources, developed with the Caribbean Social Forum and inspired by the Museum’s Waterline collection, are designed to support people living with dementia and their carers, using objects and images to prompt memories, conversation and shared experiences.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/ocean/memories-caribbean-supporting-people-living-dementia
Look Inside: The Many Invincible Ones by Sharon Walters
Discover the artworks in Sharon Walters’ display at the Queen’s House, created in response to a historic photograph in the Museum’s collection. Through collage, metalwork and mixed media, the works explore themes of resilience, reconnection, healing and hope.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/art-culture/look-inside-many-invincible-ones-sharon-walters
Seeing Ourselves Podcast
A podcast series hosted by artist Sharon Walters, featuring conversations with artists, historians and curators exploring representations of people of African descent in the National Maritime Museum’s collections.
URL: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/art-culture/seeing-ourselves-podcast
INFORMATION FOR VISITORS:
Venue: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
Date: 25 July 2026
Time: 10.00 – 17.00
Admission: Free
Visitor enquiries: 020 8858 4422
Twitter: @RMGreenwich
Instagram: @royalmuseumsgreenwich
Facebook: @royalmuseumsgreenwich
