Pirates, History and Legend

At the Royal Museums Greenwich in London, at the heart of the National Maritime Museum complex, the new exhibition Pirates bridges the gap between myth and reality, revealing the hidden undercurrents of the romantic iconography of the pirate. From popular figures like Captain Hook and Long John Silver to the bloodthirsty Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, the exhibition invites us to rethink piracy as a complex, global, and far from monolithic phenomenon. The exhibition is divided into three parts. The first explores the popular image of the pirate, from comics to cinema, from theatrical costumes to high fashion, demonstrating how the iconography has been constructed and reconstructed over time. The second part of the narrative engages with history: real characters, real battles, real ocean routes. In this context, stories emerge that are both legendary and real, such as those of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Finally, the final chapter traverses the global arc of piracy, from the South China Sea to the North African coast, shifting attention to the social, economic, and geopolitical causes that fueled these phenomena. More than two hundred objects accompany the visitor: ancient maps, captured flags, film costumes, period illustrated books, and original artifacts. The aim is not only to reconstruct, but to demystify: the romantic fighter becomes a worker of the sea, the adventurer becomes a slave to the routes and trade. Ultimately, Pirates changes perspective.