Cook and the Endeavour

EXHIBITION NOW CLOSED

An exhibition celebrating the arrival at Greenwich of Endeavour, the replica of Captain Cook's ship of discovery

An exhibition based on the pioneering voyage of Captain Cook in the Endeavour opens at the Queen's House in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich at Easter 1997. The exhibition - Cook and the Endeavour (24 March to 21 September 1997) - is a blend of original artefacts used by Cook on his first voyage of discovery and stunning paintings of newly discovered lands by British artist and draughtsman, William Hodges. Among the exhibits in Cook and the Endeavour are Cook's personal journal of the voyage; charts so accurate that they can still be used today; an intricate scale model of Endeavour featuring each crew member and the stores taken on board. Also on display, by kind permission of the Natural History Museum, are six of Sydney Parkinson's beautiful watercolours of exotic plants collected by the young Joseph Banks on the first voyage.

In July 1768, Cook set sail in Endeavour to observe the Transit of Venus on Tahiti, but also with secret instructions to investigate the existence of the Great South Land. By 1769, Cook had reached New Zealand, where he charted the north and south islands before continuing west. In April 1770, he sighted the east coast of what we now know as Australia, anchoring in Botany Bay.

Cook was the first European to accurately chart the Pacific and to open up Australia and New Zealand to later settlement. His navigational skills were exceptional, even before the invention of Harrison's chronometer. His concern for the health of his crew ensured no one died of scurvy and in choosing to convert a Whitby collier he made a sound decision - Endeavour proved an excellent vessel for exploration.

The exhibition coincides with the arrival at Greenwich of the full-size working replica of HM Bark Endeavour. The ship will be on display and open for visitors at Greenwich Pier from 28 March to 13 April 1997, before beginning a 14-port tour of the UK. Endeavour is currently bound for Britain, sailing from Australia via South Africa.

Says Helene Mitchell, Exhibition Organiser, "Cook and the Endeavour gives us a marvellous opportunity to celebrate the achievements of a man who literally shaped the world as we know it. The exhibition, coupled with the arrival of the Endeavour replica, will enable us to bring the story of Cook to a wide audience."

To mark the opening of Cook and the Endeavour, a statue of Captain Cook by sculptor Anthony Stones will be unveiled by a special guest in the Museum grounds.

WWW Links

National Maritime Museum

Main Museum web-site:

HM Bark Endeavour Foundation

• Track Endeavour -

by Martin Maier of the University of Karlsruhe
(We are indebted to Martin for permission to use his images on this page)

Information Source: National Maritime Museum Press Office