A £9m project at Chatham’s Historic Dockyard which aims to bring the age of sail to life is set to open next month.

The Command of the Oceans galleries will display the HMS Namur’s 260-year-old timbers for the first time.

The famous ship, once thought to be lost, was discovered under the Dockyard’s Wheelwrights’ Shop in 1995 and will be the centrepiece of the exhibition, which will explore the role of such ships and life on board them during battle.

A collection of archaeological finds retrieved from the seabed around HMS Invincible, from the 18th century, will also be on display.

Interactive displays will also tell a previously untold chapter of British naval history and showcase the Dockyard’s importance in the age of sail.

New visitor facilities including a free discovery centre, entrance, car park, restaurant and shop have also been built as part of the project.

Bill Ferris, chief executive, said: “These remarkable new galleries, housed within the very buildings at the core of the story, truly encapsulate the story of The Historic Dockyard Chatham. A story of innovation, complexity, engineering and skill that will be presented in a manner that will engage all ages.

“New visitor facilities, including free parking, a free to enter ‘discovery centre’ and a new restaurant, combine to create a 21st century visitor experience of the utmost quality.

“We look forward to welcoming visitors to this new experience and then onwards to the wider Historic Dockyard with its Historic Warships, Victorian Ropery and much more.”

The project has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Homes and Communities Agency and other donors.

The exhibition is due to open on Friday, May 27. For more information or to book tickets visit www.thedockyard.co.uk/prices.