Crack the Code this Easter at HMS Caroline

Chart the history of naval communication, including the Morse code and cryptography used by groups like those at Bletchley Park.

Visitors will get the chance to send secret messages with tiny powerful computers, create code wheels, and make morse code bracelets. Also available is a coding workshop, where you’ll programme a robot, letting visitors get more hands-on with coding. This event forms part of the nationwide STEM programme ran by the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

HMS Caroline is open Wednesday to Sunday during Easter, from Wednesday, April 16, to Sunday, April 27. The ship will be closed on Monday, April 21, and Tuesday, April 22.

This Easter also marks the return of self-guided tours at HMS Caroline exclusively from April 16-27. So once visitors have learnt about everything from cryptography to coding they still have the opportunity to discover this legendary survivor at their own pace. Today she is the sole survivor from the battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the First World War. Explore the entire ship, from her powerful weaponry to her huge engines, and learn the stories of the many men and women who served onboard.

Sharon Hanna, Museum Manager, said: “This event connects the Royal Navy past to the modern day, with HMS Caroline front and centre welcoming visitors to the world of coding and naval communication. We hope to see plenty of young visitors enjoying our STEM activities.”

This event is free with a valid museum ticket, although the coding workshops must be booked in advance.

Crack the Code on Thursday 17th, Thursday 24th and Friday 25th April 2025. Dive into the evolution of naval communication, from the Morse code and cryptography of teams like those at Bletchley Park, to the information age and coding that has transformed modern communication.

Connecting past and present visitors will crack codes, craft morse code bracelets and create cipher wheels. This drop-in event does not require pre-booking and is suitable for children aged five and over.

This event also includes coding workshops ran by Sentinus NI, where visitors will be challenged to programme a robot to navigate a series of tasks. These workshops are suitable for children aged seven and over. While this workshop is free with a valid museum ticket, it must be booked in advance: https://bit.ly/43N1uFr