Nelson Room
The 500 Years of History tour at the Old Royal Naval College and a visit to the magnificent Painted Hall would not be complete without exploring the fascinating story of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson’s lying-in-state in the Nelson Room. This space has recently been restored and reinterpreted to reflect this extraordinary event.
The Nelson Room is only a small room in Greenwich, but it has a big place in British history.
On Christmas Eve 1805, on a cold night, the body of Lord Nelson arrived at Greenwich Hospital, now known as the Old Royal Naval College. Following his death during the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October, his body had been brought back to England, travelling up the Thames and arriving at Greenwich, where it was taken to a small records room off the Painted Hall ahead of his funeral in central London.
The new audio-visual experience explores the story of this national figure and looks at how people react when a much-loved celebrity dies. Visitors can explore Nelson’s connection with Greenwich and learn about how Greenwich became the epicentre of a national expression of loss and mourning, when tens of thousands of people descended on Greenwich. It also looks at what public ceremonials say about culture and politics. A ‘Pepper’s Ghost’ display illuminates Nelson’s lying-in-state, while a newly commissioned bronze sculpture called Breaking the Line, by sculptor Antony Dufort, pays tribute to the many sailors who fought at Trafalgar and later became ‘Greenwich Pensioners’ at the Royal Hospital for Seamen (latterly known as Greenwich Hospital).
The experience also gives the visitor an insight into the room itself, its history, restoration, and the artworks on display.
The unique architecture of this intimate room has been carefully conserved. Its imposing roof lantern, monumental stonework and Swedish marble flooring has been restored to its former glory. The large marble flagstones called Öland Stone was selected by architect Sir Christopher Wren himself.
Newly installed benches allow visitors to linger and enjoy Sir Nicholas Hawksmoor’s design according to Wren’s original masterplan and view and learn about the Nelson Pediment in the nearby courtyard. Ten feet high and 40 feet wide, the pediment was installed in October 1812, seven years after Nelson’s death and designed by the American-born artist Benjamin West.
An admission ticket to the Painted Hall includes entry to the Nelson Room with a multimedia guide.
We also offer a range of free workshops for school and community groups and a programme of Lates and talks are programmed throughout the next few months.
A new passenger lift provides wheelchair access to the Nelson Room and the Painted Hall’s Upper Hall for the first time.