The Mary Rose Trust

What The Mary Rose Trust does

The Mary Rose Trust is a UK charitable trust (Registered Charity No. 277503) founded in 1979 to conserve and display the only surviving Tudor warship — Henry VIII's flagship Mary Rose, which sank in 1545 during the Battle of the Solent and was raised from the seabed in 1982. Operating from the Mary Rose Museum within Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the Trust stewards a collection of over 19,000 recovered Tudor artefacts — described as the largest collection of Tudor objects in the world — alongside the conserved hull itself, which is continuously monitored via a network of approximately 450 movement markers using total station surveying and laser scanning following a 34-year polyethylene glycol (PEG) conservation programme. The commercial offering extends beyond the core museum visit to include the Dive the Mary Rose 4D multi-sensory cinema, the 1545 Experience walk-through, expert-guided Ship Hall Tours, school and SEND workshops via an award-winning Learning Department, venue hire, corporate sponsorship, and a volunteer-led national speaker network (the Mary Rose Information Group).

The Trust generates revenue through a diversified mix of ticket sales (sold both directly and through the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard joint venture with the National Museum of the Royal Navy, launched August 2020), on-site and online retail via its wholly-owned trading subsidiary Mary Rose Trading Ltd., charitable donations (including US tax-efficient giving via The Campaign for the Mary Rose), an annual membership programme, corporate sponsorship, venue hire, and fee-based educational programmes. It serves a broad base of 250,000+ annual visitors — primarily families and the general public, schools, community groups across the UK, and corporate partners — and operates without government funding. The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees under the patronage of King Charles III; its leadership team combines commercial visitor-attraction expertise (CEO Dominic Jones, previously at Disney and Merlin) with deep conservation credentials (Deputy CEO and Director of Collections Eleanor Schofield, PhD in Materials Science & Engineering).

Distribution centres on the physical Portsmouth site, supplemented by online retail (shop.maryrose.org), owned digital channels (68,000 combined social followers, 4,500+ newsletter subscribers, over three million annual reach), an influencer collaboration programme, and the Information Group community speaker network covering regions including Hampshire, Berkshire, Kent, London, and Oxfordshire. Strategic positioning has shifted toward immersive digital experiences and partnership-driven expansion, exemplified by the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Portsmouth, the Anchored in the Community Project engaging seven Portsmouth partner organisations with National Heritage Lottery funding, and ongoing product launches including Hatch's History Detectives and the Summer at the Mary Rose Museum 2026 programme.

Name

The Mary Rose Trust

Legal name

The Mary Rose Trust

Website

https://maryrose.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Mary Rose Trust operates the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, conserving Henry VIII's 1545 warship and the world's largest collection of Tudor artefacts (over 19,000 objects), serving 250,000+ annual visitors through ticketing, immersive experiences, education, retail, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The museum generates revenue through ticket sales for admission to the Mary Rose Museum. Tickets are sold via Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for general admission and include options for One Attraction tickets and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard tickets (12-month unlimited access).
2. Retail Sales: On-site gift shop selling Mary Rose-themed merchandise including books, clothing, toys, and souvenirs. Operated by Mary Rose Trading Ltd.
3. Donations and Memberships: Charitable donations from individuals, including online donations via CAF Donate, cheque donations, and US tax-deductible donations through The Campaign for the Mary Rose. Membership programme offers ongoing supporter engagement.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Partnerships with brand partners and corporate sponsors to fund special projects, exhibitions, curatorial roles, education outreach, and technological features. Includes venue hire opportunities for corporate events.
5. Venue Hire and Events: The museum offers its venue for private events, corporate entertainment, and special occasions, including private dinners on the Top Deck overlooking the ship.
6. Education Programmes: Fee-based educational workshops and school programmes, including STEM and history-focused sessions for primary, secondary, and further education students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Mary Rose Trust operates the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, a heritage visitor attraction housing the conserved Tudor warship hull and the world's largest collection of Tudor artefacts (over 19,000 objects). The Trust sells admission tickets, educational programmes, immersive experiences (Dive the Mary Rose 4D, 1545 Experience), guided tours, venue hire, retail merchandise, memberships, and charitable donations to support the ongoing conservation mission.

Product overview

The Mary Rose Trust operates a single primary visitor attraction—the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard—housing the conserved Tudor warship hull and the world's largest collection of Tudor artefacts (over 19,000 objects). The core offering is enhanced by paid add-on experiences including Dive the Mary Rose 4D (a multi-sensory cinema experience created by Figment Productions), the 1545 Experience (an interactive walk-through narrating the ship's sinking), and expert-guided Ship Hall Tours. The Trust also offers educational workshops for schools, a national volunteer speaker network (Mary Rose Information Group), corporate sponsorship packages, venue hire services, an annual membership programme, retail operations, and a charitable donation programme. A joint ticketing partnership with Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (including HMS Victory and HMS Warrior) provides bundled access to multiple heritage attractions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dive the Mary Rose 4D: State-of-the-art multi-sensory 4D cinema experience allowing visitors to experience the discovery, excavation, and recovery of the Mary Rose.
• 1545 Experience
• Mary Rose Information Group

Products and services

• Mary Rose Museum Admission
• Dive the Mary Rose 4D
• 1545 Experience
• Guided Ship Hall Tours
• School Workshops and Educational Visits
• Venue Hire and Corporate Events
• Membership Programme
• Online and On-site Retail Shop
• Sponsorship Opportunities
• Donation Programme
• Mary Rose Information Group Speaker Engagements

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 19,000 objects recovered and conserved from the wreck site
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of PortsmouthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2023Strategic partnership cemented through Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in October 2023. Collaboration on research, creative and immersive extended reality projects, community engagement initiatives, and student placements including PhD candidates.
• University of Portsmouth Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Collaboration with CCIXR for The News Innovation Award for Best Digital Innovation in 2023. Partnership focused on immersive technology and extended reality solutions for museum experiences.
• Portsmouth Historic Dockyard OperationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2020Joint venture with Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Operations launched in August 2020, partnering with National Museum of the Royal Navy (Charity No. 1126283), Portsmouth Historic Quarter (Charity No. 293188), Warrior Preservation Trust Limited (Charity No. 256756), and HMS Victory Preservation Company (Charity No. 1146376) to operate Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. All proceeds from ticket sales support the charitable objectives of the Mary Rose Trust.
• National Museum of the Royal NavycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership of the Year award recipient in 2024. Collaborates in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard joint venture, with shared ticket revenue split according to HMRC regulations for Gift Aid.
• Ross KempminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTV star and documentary presenter who narrates the Dive the Mary Rose 4D experience, providing celebrity endorsement and marketing appeal.
• Dame Judi DenchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFriend of the Museum who provides narration for the 1545 Experience interactive walk-through, contributing celebrity association.
• Shaping PortsmouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates in the Shaped By Solent programme, bringing together Solent Academies Trust, Mary Rose Museum, and businesses to mentor SEND students in creating products for sale.
• Various Portsmouth Community OrganisationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeven partner organisations within the City of Portsmouth engaged through the Anchored in the Community Project to create projects including dance, music, and art for young adults, those with visual impairments, and those living with dementia.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• English Heritage: Major UK charity operating 400+ historic sites including castles, abbeys, and houses; comparable as a heritage-attraction operator with membership, education programmes, retail, and ticketed admissions at historic properties.
• Historic Royal Palaces: Independent charity that operates the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, and other royal-heritage sites. Comparable as a large UK heritage attraction with royal patronage, ticketed admissions, education programmes, and a multi-site commercial model.

Direct peers

• National Museum of the Royal Navy: Operates the partner site at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard under the joint venture with the Mary Rose Trust; both run maritime heritage attractions, share ticketing, and target families, school groups, and heritage tourists in the same local market.
• Titanic Belfast: Maritime heritage attraction built around a famous shipwreck, featuring immersive galleries, education programmes, retail, and venue hire — directly comparable in scale and audience to the Mary Rose Museum.
• JORVIK Viking Centre: York-based immersive heritage museum built around archaeological finds, featuring ride-through experiences, education programmes, and ticketed admissions — directly comparable to the Mary Rose on experience design and family audience.
• SS Great Britain Trust: Bristol-based charity that preserves Brunel's SS Great Britain in a dry dock — a directly comparable historic-ship museum with conserved hull, artefact collection, immersive exhibits, education programmes, and charitable funding model.
• Vasa Museum (Vasamuseet): Stockholm museum housing the conserved 17th-century warship Vasa — the closest international analogue to the Mary Rose, with a single iconic salvaged vessel, conservation programme, and ticketed museum offering.
• Cutty Sark (Royal Museums Greenwich): Conserved 19th-century clipper ship displayed in dry dock in Greenwich; directly comparable to the Mary Rose as a preserved historic vessel museum with ticketed access and immersive interpretation.
• HMS Warrior Preservation Trust: Joint venture partner operating HMS Warrior at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard; preserves a historic naval vessel and competes/co-operates with the Mary Rose for the same heritage-tourism audience.
• HMS Victory Preservation Company: Joint venture partner at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard operating HMS Victory; directly comparable as a historic-ship heritage attraction sharing bundled ticketing and the same visitor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MaryRoseMuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryrosemuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Mary Rose Trust