Pirates weren't just characters in tall tales - they were real people who left their mark on history. While Blackbeard and Anne Bonny might be household names, the actual lives of pirates were far more complex than what we see in movies.
Related: The Golden Era of Pirates Was Filled With Fearsome Men!
The National Maritime Museum’s new exhibit sheds light on the actual world of piracy, exploring regions from the Caribbean to the Barbary Coast, South China Sea, and Indian Ocean. Featuring everything from weapons to cultural relics, the collection spans centuries of seafaring history, giving visitors a deeper understanding of pirates and their impact across the world.
1. Original costume for Will Turner from The Curse of the Black Pearl
The costume was made using cotton, leather, and wool garments and designed by Penny Rose in 2002.
2. A General History of the Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson, published by J. Watts, 1725
Page spread of illustration of Blackbeard the Pirate on the left - A General History of the Pyrates.
3. Bust of a Moroccan man – terracotta, by an unknown maker, about 1700 © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
The man is wearing a headdress common among the Rif people of Morocco’s northeast; the maker and subject remain unidentified.
4. Compass – brass, iron, wood and other materials, by Jonathan Eade, London, about 1750
Mariner’s Compass – National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.
5. Centrepiece commemorating the Bombardment of Algiers (silver-gilt, by Paul Storr, London, 1817–18)
The British officers in Algiers commissioned this centerpiece from the prominent London silversmith Paul Storr. They presented it to their commander, Admiral Pellew. The piece depicts the fortress at Algiers, featuring tiers of guns and scenes from the bombardment.
6. Presentation sword – steel, fish-skin, gilt wire and other materials, by Dudley, Portsmouth, 1837 © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
This sword was presented to Captain Robert Gore of HMS Andromache as a thank you for his efforts in tackling piracy in the Malacca Straits during the year 1836.
7. The Bombardment of Algiers, 27 August 1816 – oil on canvas, by George Chambers, 1836 © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Greenwich Hospital Collection
This painting by George Chambers depicts the Bombardment of Algiers, which is dominated by British ships.
8. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, published by Cassell, London, 1886 © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
The showcase features more than just the historical pirates who ruled the high seas. It also highlights theatre, film, and fashion, emphasizing materials from early literature on piracy dating from the eighteenth century to 1980s fashion, according to the organizers. They noted that the exhibition will display nearly 200 objects, including loans from the National Archives, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), and the British Film Institute (BFI).
9. Hanging depicting Ziwei Dadi – painted cotton, made in China, before 1849 © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
This hanging was seized from one of Shap Ng-tsai’s pirate junks on October 20–21, 1849. It is from a shipboard shrine and depicts Ziewi Dadi, one of the Four Heavenly Emperors in Cantonese cosmology.
10. Davy Jones’s Locker – oil on canvas, by William Lionel Wyllie, 1890 © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Purchased with the assistance of the Society for Nautical Research Macpherson Collection Endowment Fund.
William Lionel Wyllie’s 1890 painting imagines Davy Jones, the mythical guardian of the ocean's spirits.
11. Dummy book – ink and watercolour on paper with metal binding, by John Ryan, 1953–55 © Isabel Ryan / Estate of John Ryan
John Ryan faced quite a challenge when trying to find a publisher for Captain Pugwash. After receiving 12 rejections, he finally caught a break when The Bodley Head recognized the character's potential. In 1957, Captain Pugwash: a pirate story was published, marking the beginning of a successful series that would see over 20 more Pugwash books released in the years to come.
