Ahoy Me Hearties! The Horrible Histories® Pirates Are Coming to Haaaahrtlepool!

Get ready for swashes to be buckled and timbers shivered as the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool prepares for a pirate takeover. 

The hugely popular family exhibition that proved such a hit in Portsmouth will be unveiled in time for the Easter holidays.

‘Horrible Histories® Pirates’, based on the world’s best-selling children’s history book series by Terry Deary and illustrator Martin Brown, is set to give youngsters an action-packed insight into the mysterious and murky world of pirates across the ages.

As fans of the books, stage-shows and TV series will expect, ‘Horrible Histories® Pirates’ takes a funny and foul look into pirate history, complete with parrots, cutlasses and all the gore and more. 

Throughout the hands-on exhibition there will be opportunities to design pirate flags, visit a raucous pirates’ tavern, take out enemies with cannon fire and command a pirate ship on the high seas. 

Young scallywags can also learn the rules of the ‘pirates’ code’, delve into the often-gruesome history of pirate ships and their infamous commanders (both male and female) and they'll have to practise talking like a pirate too or risk a trip to Davey Jones' Locker.

The exhibition has been developed in association with Scholastic UK and is being transferred to Hartlepool from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard where it was hosted for two years having travelled across the seven seas, all the way from the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney. 

Funny, foul and fact-filled, the unique work of Terry and Martin comes alive in this fun-packed exhibition which has already proved to be a hit with family audiences and is expected to delight visitors to Hartlepool this year.

 Terry Deary, author of Horrible Histories, says:

“Horrible Histories – Pirates exhibition has voyaged around the world from Australia to the UK. Now, as it docks in Hartlepool, I look forward to many more children finding out the terrible truth about putrid pirates. Expect foul facts, savage stories and lots to explore.”

General Manager of the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool Roslyn Adamson says:

“Pirates has always been a popular theme in Hartlepool and the partnership with the hugely popular Horrible Histories series is a fabulous opportunity to offer some pirate fun whilst sharing the kind of history that sparks children’s engagement.

“Coupled with our adventure play ship, live cannon displays and cutlass classes, our yearly ticket will offer families across the North even more value this year. It should be a year of great fun in Hartlepool and we can’t wait!”

Entry to ‘Horrible Histories® Pirates’ will be included as part of a valid ticket, which last for 12 months, and pre-bookable slots are available at www.nmrn.org.uk/exhibitions-projects/pirates-exhibition-hartlepool