The Newport Ship visitor centre has opened for its 2026 season.
During the visitor season, which runs until Saturday 31 October, the visitor centre, which is free to visit, will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10.30am to 4pm.
Visitors will be able to learn about the history of the 15th-century ship, its purpose, why it sank, and the project to reassemble it, which has been described as one of the world’s largest 3D puzzles.
Guided tours of the centre are also available from volunteers of the Friends of Newport Ship (FONS).
Alternatively, visitors can listen to audio guides to the centre, with narrations from actors Michael Sheen and Rhys ap William.
The visitor centre includes:
- A virtual reality experience which will transport visitors back to the 15th century to experience life on board the ship while it is at sea
- Animations showing the building and launching of the ship, and another of the ship’s journey to Newport
- Lots of exhibits and information about the history of the ship, how it came to be in Newport, and its discovery in 2002
- Artefacts found during the excavation, and some of the preserved timbers from the ship
- A new mural designed by Newport artist Andy O’Rourke, depicting the ship in a medieval setting, which also acts as a photo opportunity for visitors to create their own medieval scene
There are also free parking and a gift shop at the centre, as well as hot and cold drinks on sale.
Newport Museum and Art Gallery also has new medieval ship displays.
Special events will include a medieval summer fayre, which this year takes place on Saturday 25 July from 10am to 4pm.
The ship project, in collaboration with Swansea University, has also recently been awarded a grant from the Heritage Science Data Service.
The grant will help the team develop an interactive 3D digital model of the ship’s remains and also develop associated archival data, which it is hoped will set a benchmark for global maritime heritage information modelling.
