National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

Today's excursion with Barbara, David and Doreen was back up to Greenwich, this time to visit the National Maritime Museum, look at Greenwich Park and walk along the Thames.

For a day out it was extremely good value, as Doreen has a blue badge it was easy to park, the Museum is free anyway and so was the walk along the Thames - all in glorious spring sunshine.

The Museum was impressive - we joined a guided tour conducted by an enthusiastic presenter who knew his stuff and was able to project his voice above the hubbub around us. I expect he enjoyed his cup of tea when the hour was up, he certainly earned it.

Although the Museum was good I think it suffered from the same malaise as most museums I've visited - that of helping the visitor around the exhibits and helping interpret the displays. For example we went viewed the Atlantic Rooms where on display were artifacts about trade, slavery and emigration. All very good but you didn't know where to start and how to follow the exhibition around in a logical order. I started reading about the abolition of slavery before I'd found out about when and how it had started.

I know some people like to browse and find their own way around but there must be a balance between letting people wander at will and being too prescriptive, helping people get the most out of their visit.

Talking of balance I pointed out to Susan that this is what she'll be doing when we've moved up to the Lakes and we're sailing on Windermere! This is a 49er class dinghy which was a medal winner in the 2000 Olympics in Australia. We also saw one of the earliest Enterprise dinghies, E2, which was built in 1955 (just after me and in just as good condition I may say). This was a class of boat I sailed as a youngster at school. This and GP14s and Mirror dinghies. Looking forward to going sailing again next year.

I liked the patterns and interest created in this shot. The wings of the original old buildings of the Naval Hospital (Sir Christopher Wren) have been joined together by a glassed over antrium to create an open, light space for exhibits and performances.