This is a sponsored article on behalf of the Old Royal Naval College.
Greenwich’s Baroque masterpiece is about to become even more breathtaking.
Over the last few months, visitors to the Painted Hall at Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College have crafted paper doves, inscribed with handwritten messages of peace, hope, love and unity. Now, there are thousands of them, and together they form a stunning mass-participation artwork, which you’re invited to explore this autumn and winter.
Peace Doves by renowned artist Peter Walker lands in the Painted Hall on 20 November. Visit this jaw-droppingly opulent space between then and 7 February 2027, and you’ll find the whole flock, beautifully illuminated and suspended from the ceiling as if in mid-flight.
Throughout the art installation’s run, the Old Royal Naval College will host a range of events against this exquisite avian backdrop, including yoga, a silent disco, and a Q&A with the artist himself, in which you can delve into Walker’s creative process and the meaning behind his work.
Peace Doves forms part of the Painted Hall’s 300th anniversary celebrations. Work on this spectacular centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich was completed in 1726, and — thanks in part to an award-winning two-year renovation project in the 2010s — it’s just as awe-inspiring today as it was in the 18th century.
If you’ve been there before, you’ll know that the Painted Hall is well worth a repeat visit. With 3,700 square metres of Baroque walls and ceilings emblazoned with kings, queens and mythological beings to ogle, there’s always something new to uncover. And if you haven’t been here before? Get booking, pronto: this landmark is bucket-list-level special — it’s not known as the Sistine Chapel of the UK for nothing!
Find Peace Doves in the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College (Greenwich), 20 November 2026-7 February 2027. Tickets here.
