Help us display Trafalgar Flag at Discovery Museum

Aim

Help us display the Battle of Trafalgar Flag flown from Newcastle-born, Vice-Admiral Collingwood’s ship at Discovery Museum

Why we need your help

We’re two thirds of the way to raising £700,000 to save for the nation and permanently display the union flag that was flown from the HMS Royal Sovereign, flagship of Vice-Admiral Collingwood at the Battle of Trafalgar.  

The flag was at risk of being sold overseas until the Secretary of State placed an export bar on it to enable public institutions to raise funds to keep it in the UK. We are very grateful for the generous support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Sir James Knott Trust, Community Foundation North East, XTX Markets and The Drapers' Charitable Fund plus several other donors for their contributions to this campaign. 

Now we’re appealing to you to help us raise £15,000 towards our target to permanently display the flag in Newcastle upon Tyne, which was home to Vice Admiral Collingwood and the Royal Sovereign crew, nicknamed the ‘Tars of the Tyne’.  

Every £1 you donate up to £7,500 is being generously match-funded by the Sir James Knott Trust. One donation, twice the impact. 

Help us display this important historic artefact in a city that can tell the story of Vice Admiral Collingwood and his mighty Tars of the Tyne crew.

Displaying the flag at Discovery Museum 

The Union Flag will form the centrepiece of a new permanent display at Discovery Museum, Newcastle, that will celebrate an important regional and national figure and a significant moment in British history.  

It will be located in a new section of the museum’s popular Story of the Tyne gallery, which showcases an extensive maritime collection, covering Tyneside’s shipbuilding industry, innovations in maritime technology, and one of the best ship model collections in the country. 

The display will also tell the story of the local men who served in Nelson’s navy – there were over 500 ‘Geordie’ sailors at the Battle of Trafalgar. In many cases, the Union Flags flown at Trafalgar would have been assembled and prepared by their ship’s sailors from materials that they had onboard. Each surviving flag is consequently unique.

The lasting impact 

We will use the flag display as the centrepiece of new programmes to deliver a lasting impact for our visitors and communities.  

• Around 200,000 annual visitors will deepen their knowledge of North East England’s role in the Battle of Trafalgar, and maritime/naval history 
• It will strengthen a sense of identity, belonging and pride in the local community 
• Children, young people and community groups will have the opportunity to take part in high-quality engagement programmes with the flag display as inspiration

The display will be freely accessible to visitors and temporarily shared through loan agreements with key institutions in the UK to ensure even more people can see and be inspired by the flag.  

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 3rd September 2026 at 12:00pm