27th April – 28th August 2018

An exhibition exploring the three voyages of James Cook and their contemporary legacy.

When James Cook set sail on 25th August 1768 the map of the world, as we know it today, was incomplete. By the end of his fatal third voyage, twelve years later, it was complete.

The exhibition uses the London Room as the beginning and end point for the visitor’s journey into each of the three voyages. Stepping out of the 18th century drawing room into the expansive oceans of the voyages, the continuous horizon broken by islands of content, conveys the spatial experiences of Cook and his crew.

Maps, artworks and journals from the voyages sat alongside newly-commissioned films offering contemporary perspectives. The exhibition walls and graphics were all hand painted to capture the immediacy of the original works.

Large scale globes throughout the exhibition allow visitors to explore and understand the full complexities of Cook’s circumnavigation.

Invited design competition. First prize. Built.