About Royal Navy Museums

• 1911 - The Dockyard Museum is created in HM Dockyard Portsmouth 
   
• 1938 - The Victory Museum is established in Portsmouth 
   
• 1958 - The Royal Marines Museum is created at Eastney Barracks 
   
• 1963 - The Royal Navy Submarine Museum created at HMS Dolphin in Gosport 
   
• 1964 - The Fleet Air Arm Museum opens at Royal Navy Air Station, Yeovilton 
   
• 1972 - The Royal Naval Museum opens in Portsmouth Dockyard
   
• 2008 - The National Museum of the Royal Navy is established. 
   
• 2012 - The Ministry of Defence transfers HMS Victory 
   
• 2013 - The Ministry of Defence transfers HMS Caroline in Belfast 
   
• 2013 - Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust transfers Explosion: Museum of Naval Firepower 
   
• 2014 - Hampshire County Council transfers HMS M33 
   
• 2016 - HMS Trincomalee is transferred, and the Museum develops a Hartlepool site 
   
• 2017 - HMS Warrior joins the Museum 
   
• 2025 - Royal Navy Museums group is formally created 
   

Linking Navy to Nation with inspiring stories and experiences.

The Museum is a registered charity (number: 1126283) and a limited company (number 06699696). The strategy, policies and oversight of the Museum is the responsibility of the Royal Navy Museums Board, and the members of this Board are both trustees of the charity and directors of the company. 

The Royal Navy Museum Trustees appoint the Museum’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Directors who are responsible for the delivery of their strategy and for the operation of the Museum. This executive team provide leadership and work within a shared strategic framework, guided by common policies, procedures and ways of working across the group. 

You can find out more about our Trustees and Executive Team, and the people behind Royal Navy Museums, under the "Who Are We" tab. 

Minutes of previous Trustees meetings can be found here

Our Group Structure

To achieve our vision, Royal Navy Museums is supported by a number of subsidiary charities and charitable companies that work together as one group.

The heritage collections and historic assets that make up Royal Navy Museums remain safeguarded within a family of charitable trusts. Royal Navy Museums acts as the sole corporate trustee for these collections, ensuring that they are cared for and managed for public benefit. 

NMRN Trading Ltd is the Museum's commercial subsidiary, supporting our charitable mission through retail, hospitality, events and other trading activities.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Operations Ltd, established in 2020, is a joint venture owned equally by Royal Navy Museums and the Mary Rose Trust. By bringing together ticketing and visitor operations across Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the partnership creates a seamless experience for visitors while celebrating the unique stories of each attraction.
 

Our Status and Funding

Royal Navy Museums is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), sponsored by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). As an arm's-length body, we operate independently while supporting the MOD's strategic objectives to preserve, share and promote the heritage of the Royal Navy. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) concluded its Independent Public Body review of the Service Museums in September 2023 and concluded that MOD service museums are effective in fulfilling their purpose and should remain as Non-Departmental Public Bodies within the MOD.

Our work is supported by Grant in Aid funding from the MOD, complemented by income raised through grants and sponsorship, charitable donations, legacies and our own commercial activities. This balanced funding model enables us to invest in the care of our collections and historic ships, deliver inspiring visitor experiences and educational programmes, and ensure that the Royal Navy story remains accessible for generations to come.

Alongside these funds, we hold a number of restricted charitable funds and endowments that have been entrusted to us by donors for specific purposes. These are managed carefully and used only in accordance with the wishes of those who established them, helping to safeguard the long-term future of our nationally important collections and heritage assets.

Governance and Accountability

As the custodian of a nationally significant collection and the recipient of public funding, Royal Navy Museums is committed to the highest standards of governance, accountability and transparency. Our financial statements and internal controls are independently audited by the National Audit Office (NAO), providing assurance that public funds are managed responsibly and in accordance with statutory and regulatory requirements. You can read our latest Annual Report and Accounts on our website. 
 

Sir Philip Jones

Chair of the NMRN Main Board

Alison Start

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and member of the Audit and Governance Committee and Fundraising Committee

Ged Salzano

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board

Andrew Burnett

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and the Chair of the Collections, Research, Learning and Access (CRLA) Committee and a member of the Audit and Governance Committee

Jon Pentreath

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board representing the Fleet Air Arm and a member of the Nominations and Remunerations Committee. Jon is also a Trustee for the HMS Caroline Preservation Company

Katherine Biggs

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board, Chair of the Digital Committee and a member of the Collections, Research, Learning and Access (CRLA) Committee

Mark Anderson 

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and committee member of the Audit and Governance Committee and member of the Programme Board. Mark is also a Trustee for NMRN Hartlepool

Mary Montagu-Scott

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and Chair of the Fundraising Committee. Mary is also Trustee for HMS Victory Preservation Company

Michael Scott

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee

Phil Dolling

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and member of the Fundraising Committee and Digital Committee. Phil is also a Trustee for NMRN Hartlepool

Helen Jackson

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and member of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and Fundraising Committee. Helen is also a Trustee for HMS Victory Preservation Company

Tom Wright CBE

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and member of the Digital Committee

Colin Evans

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board and member of the Audit Committee

Sarah Humphrey

Trustee of the NMRN Main Board

Matthew Sheldon

CEO 

Sarah Dennis

Executive Director: Finance and Resources

Andrew Baines

Executive Director: Museum Operations

Helen McKenna Aspell

Associate Executive Director: Funding and Partnerships

Emma Allen

Associate Executive Director: Commercial Operations

Lyn Andrews

Associate Executive Director: People

Charlotte Stone

Associate Executive Director: Content and Engagement