Chatham Dockyard

Rope has been made at Chatham Historic Dockyard for over 400 years, and it remains the last of the original Royal Navy ropeyards still in operation today. The Ropery Gallery tells that story – taking visitors through the history of rope-making at Chatham, from the different types and grades of rope produced, to the processes used to make them, and the raw materials sourced from around the world to supply the Royal Navy’s ships. It’s a fascinating, unique exhibition, set within the historic Ropery buildings themselves, alongside the iconic quarter-mile Rope Walk where rope is still made using traditional techniques.

Aruba supported main contractor Lima Studio with the artwork for this fantastic exhibition space, helping bring the story of the Ropery’s people, processes and materials to life across the gallery.

It was a genuine honour for the exhibition to be visited by His Majesty The King – a fitting tribute to a space that celebrates centuries of skilled craftsmanship and the generations of workers whose lives were, quite literally, tied to rope. A unique project, in a unique setting, that we were proud to play a part in.