The Project

BRING THE ADVENTURE OF SCIENCE TO LIFE

The HMS Beagle Project has three components: the ship, science and learning. Retracing the adventure of Darwin and FitzRoy’s round-the-world voyage, the project provides a platform for cutting-edge research and global science education.

REBUILDING HMS BEAGLE

A TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY BEAGLE

An expert team led by Detlev Loell and Partners have researched and assisted with specifications required for a twenty-first century version of Robert FitzRoy’s ship HMS Beagle, which carried Charles Darwin on ‘the most important event’ of his life. Built of larch and oak, the modern Beagle will use GPS navigation and satellite communications. She’ll have a motor, higher ceilings and modern life-saving equipment to be registered, but our modern Beagle will feel every bit the compact survey ship FitzRoy’s original was.

SCIENCE PROGRAMME

DELIVERING ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Our science research programme is built around the core themes of biodiversity and climate change and will be conducted in the spirit of Charles Darwin, Robert FitzRoy and HMS Beagle. It is made up of two parts: ship-based research conducted onboard research vessels, both in open-ocean and coastal waters, and land-based research carried out in the regions visited by Darwin. Research is focused on understanding how the planet’s land, ocean and atmosphere systems function, and the biodiversity, ecological relationships and evolutionary processes within them, to tackle the global issues of climate change and human impact on the environment. Find out more about our research topics and aims here.

LEARNING PROGRAMME

GLOBAL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

Our learning programme is based on the core themes of science and exploration and follows the Darwinian tradition of discovery and adventure, hands-on experiences, collection, research and analysis. It aims to excite students of all ages about science, and educate them about our planet’s environment and how it is changing, as well as the causes and potential consequences of these changes. The programme is designed to meet current curriculum requirements in all our partner countries, and provides researchers and partner organisations with opportunities for public outreach and engagement. Find out more about our existing learning projects here.