Painted Hall
Britain’s grandest Baroque interior
James Thornhill spent 19 years (1707–1726) painting a ceiling-and-wall epic celebrating navigation, monarchy, and scientific discovery—think allegory meets star chart.
Use the mirrors provided; then lie on a bench and trace the line from the Royal Observatory in the distance to the astronomical instruments on the ceiling.
📍 King William Court (ticketed entry)
Chapel of St Peter & St Paul
A serene Neoclassical counterpoint
Rebuilt after an 18th-century fire, the chapel’s light interior blends crisp columns, an exquisite Coade-stone pulpit and a rippling anchor-motif ceiling for seafarers’ prayers.
Stand mid-aisle and look up—spot the anchors and ropes woven into the plasterwork; then step to the gallery for the best acoustic if a rehearsal is on.
📍 Queen Mary Court
River Court & Domes
Wren’s axial planning with a view
Two domes open a view corridor from the river to the Queen’s House and Observatory—the campus is basically a ceremonial telescope pointed at time.
Stand on the water steps, align the domes with the Queen’s House, then turn to watch the tide work the pier piles.
📍 Along the Thames frontage
Skittle Alley
Victorian leisure beneath Baroque grandeur
Hidden below the chapel is a 19th-century skittle alley used by pensioners of the Royal Hospital for Seamen—conviviality under the stones.
Check the hand-turned pins and worn floorboards; the grooves tell you where the best bowlers stood.
📍 Undercroft, by tour only
Film & TV Spots
A chameleon for cinema
From ‘Les Misérables’ barricades to ‘Bridgerton’ balls and Marvel’s Asgard, the courtyards shape-shift with astonishing ease.
Match a still on the map to the exact paving joints for a perfect recreation shot.
📍 Site-wide (check daily map)
