Exploring the World: Two centuries of remarkable adventurers and their journeys
Free UK delivery on orders over £60.00
Standard UK delivery from £5.95
International delivery cost can be calculated here and at checkout
Explorers and travellers have always been attracted by the lure of the unknown. By traversing and mapping our planet, they have played a vital role in mankind's development.
For almost two hundred years, the Royal Geographical Society has recognised its achievements by awarding its prestigious gold medals to those who have contributed most to our knowledge of the world.
Taking us on a journey across mountains and deserts, oceans and seas, Exploring the World tells the stories of more than eighty of these extraordinary men and women. Some, such as David Livingstone, Scott of the Antarctic and Jacques-Yves Cousteau, are well known; whilst others, such as William Chandless and Ney Elias, are today less familiar. Some dreamed of being the first to sight a lake or a river; others sighted some of the world's greatest natural features by chance. Some were naturalists, anthropologists or mountaineers; others went in search of explorers who had vanished without trace, or had been shipwrecked or marooned.
Filled with epic tales of endurance and perseverance, Exploring the World celebrates a group of exceptional individuals possessed of indomitable courage, boundless determination and adventurous spirit. It portrays a variety of fascinating lives driven by curiosity, wanderlust and the pursuit of knowledge - and, in doing so, provides a unique overview of two centuries of exploration.
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For November and December our UK inland standard processing and fulfilment time is 5-7 working days.
Our standard UK processing and fulfillment time January to October is 1-3 working days with delivery in 3-5 days. Excludes Custom Prints and customised clothing.
Please read here for important US customs information.
We hope you will be pleased with your purchase. Should you wish to return anything bought from us, we will be happy to refund or exchange a product provided it is in fully resellable condition.
Please read our Delivery and Returns page for the latest delivery updates more detail.
Christmas 2026 Last Order Dates
For November and December our UK inland standard processing and fulfilment time is 5-7 working days.
Last UK order date for 1st class standard delivery is Sunday 13 December 2026.
Last UK order date for FedEx delivery is Friday 18 December 2026.
Recommended USA* and Canada last order date is Sunday 6 December 2026.
*Shipping to the US may require additional customs processing time. Please see our Delivery and Returns page for full details.
If shipping to Europe and Rest of the World, we advise placing your order by Sunday 6 December 2026.
*The above information excludes Custom Prints, Print on Demand Clothing and Drop Ship Telescopes.
Please see our Delivery and Returns page for further information.
Frequently asked questions
For November and December our UK inland standard processing and fulfilment time is 5-7 working days.
Our team is very small and we work on dispatching orders in date order, as they are received. Only orders that have FedEx shipping applied can be shipped as priority.
We cannot promise delivery for Christmas where orders are placed after our last order dates shown below. Royal Museums Greenwich cannot accept responsibility for late delivery.
United Kingdom
Last UK order date for 1st class standard delivery is Sunday 13 December 2026.
Last UK order date for FedEx delivery is Friday 18 December 2026.
Custom (Print on Demand) Prints: Custom Prints will be shipped separately to other items in an order.
Unframed Prints
UK - Sunday 13th December 2026
Framed Prints
UK - Sunday 7th December 2026
To have the best possible chance of delivery for Christmas we would recommend placing your order as early as possible as we cannot ensure Christmas delivery if orders are placed after these dates.
Print on Demand Clothing
UK Sunday 13 December
Online Only Drop Ship Telescopes – UK Only
Last order date 13th December 2026
Our standard processing and fulfillment time January to October is 1-2 working days from the time you placed your order, excluding Custom Prints, online-only telescopes and personalised clothing.
All UK orders (excluding personalised clothing) are sent using a tracked service.
Custom Prints (those which are customised by choosing a size and frame) and personalised clothing take a little longer to fulfill due to being made to order.
Please see our Delivery and returns page for more information and last order dates.
Online-only telescopes are shipped directly from Celestron.
FREE Standard UK delivery for all orders over £60 (Royal Mail)
For all other orders, we offer Standard UK delivery for £5.95 per order (Royal Mail).
Delivery rate varies by country and value of order, and starts from as little as £6.95.
Please allow 5-7 working days for standard orders to be dispatched.
Custom Prints (those which are customised by choosing a size and frame) and personalised clothing take a little longer to fulfill due to being made to order. Please see our recommended last order dates for these items on our Delivery and returns page.
We send using a Royal Mail/FedEx tracked delivery service (excluding personalised products). Please allow 7-10 working days to receive after we have dispatched.
Please see our Delivery and returns page for all information.
We have extended our Online returns window for Christmas. If you make your purchase between 1st October and 20th December 2026, you can return items up to Sunday 10th January 2027.
For all returns, please contact us as soon as possible using the contact form, expressing your wish to return. Please wait for confirmation from one of our team before returning.
Custom Prints (those which are customised by choosing a size and frame) and personalised clothing are made to order and therefore we are unable to offer a refund or exchange, unless they are faulty.
Please see our Delivery and returns page for full information.
