The Mary Rose is one of the country's pre-eminent museums, attracting almost 250,000 people a year. As a Designated Museum, its collection is recognised as one of national and international importance.

The website attracts over 1 million hits a year and some 30,000 dedicated user sessions a month. Provision for school children is particularly strong as visitors are invited to "Meet the Crew and Explore the Mary Rose."

The displays in the Museum are kept up-to-date with new additions, still being discovered as artefacts are slowly and painstakingly conserved. As the Mary Rose Trust discovers more about the warship and Tudor life, so this is passed on to the visiting public.

Costumed interpreters, hands-on activities, the chance to hold an artefact from the Mary Rose, specialist workshops, historical re-enactments are just some of the ways the Mary Rose appeal to the visitor.

A two year programme to reach out into the local community with school visits will also be underway shortly thanks to funding from the Designated Challenge Fund through the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

And still over 30,000 school children visit the Mary Rose Museum and Ship Hall every year. The Tudors play such an important role in the National Curriculum and these visits enable the Mary Rose to appeal to today's young children, since they will be the custodians of this wonderful treasure in the future.

It's not just young children either who benefit from the Mary Rose. University undergraduates, 11-18 years and lifelong learners all have the chance to find out more about the Mary Rose - how she was built; the science behind her preservation and her importance in maritime history.