Neptune's Globe

Opening on December 18, 2012, Neptune's Globe is part of the museum's redevelopment of its central courtyard. The installation, which comprises an interactive world map, a large sail sculpture and audio-visual features, enables visitors to explore maritime stories from around the world and pick up on the museum's themes of trade, migrations, exploration, conflict, leisure and technology while finding out about the ways in which world history has been shaped by the seafaring past. Titanic, Cook's voyages, the East of India Company and the Falklands War are among the subjects interpreted through interactive media. In the galleries, visitors can use specially-devised binoculars that give an augmented-reality view of exhibits.