Exhibitions

Running until January 2023

Deep in the dark murky depths of the ocean bioluminescence dances and shadowy figures loom. Something’s there, but what?

Tattoo: British Tattoo Art Revealed opened at the Museum to huge acclaim in 2017 and after touring nationally we are delighted to bring back some of the key artworks from the exhibition.

To mark the 200th birthday of HM Coastguard in 2022, this new exhibition tells the story of the Coastguard and explores its role as one of the UK’s emergency services.

Below the glistening surface of the sea, lurking down at the extreme depths of the ocean are hair-raising, toe-curling, horror-making monsters. With deadly weapons and carnivorous appetites, the deep-seas can be a terrifying place.

Take a virtual tour of Monsters of the Deep from the air, soar through the exhibition, come face-to-face with a killer whale skeleton, glide around the space and meet some real monsters of the deep.

From a terrifying Feegee mermaid to the spindly legs of a giant sea spider there are plenty of sights to see. Explore our top reasons to dive into the mysterious world of the deep sea.

Isabel Stevens is a writer, editor and curator based in London, and is the production editor for Sight and Sound, a monthly international film magazine published by the BFI.

Dr Tammy Horton is a Research Scientist at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), Southampton. She is an expert in deep-sea taxonomy, ecology and biodiversity.

Dr Darren Naish is a zoologist and author, best known for his work on dinosaurs and other prehistoric reptiles as well as for his writings on sea monsters and other mystery beasts.