Worlds Beneath the Waves

Go on a 150-year voyage of scientific exploration; from HMS Challenger to the how the Royal Navy discovers the wonders of the deep sea today.

In 1872, HMS Challenger set sail from Portsmouth to embark on the scientific study of the ocean. This odyssey would go on to be regarded as the blueprint for future oceanographic missions. Challenger travelled 68,000 nautical miles in three and a half years. Circumnavigating the globe, the crew collected thousands of samples of animal live, plant life, sea-floor deposits and water samples from all levels of the ocean. These samples are still used to help us understand the ocean and climate change today. 

Now 150-years on, find out how the Royal Navy continues to use cutting-edge technology to help us understand the changing nature of the ocean, alongside our exhibition partners the National Oceanography Centre and others. 

Hear the voices of the men and women onboard HMS Protector. Discover how the crew carry out hydrographic surveys, and support research at sea, and how this affects weather and climate.