Wear with Pride

Created by: Karis Harrington

Sponsored by: Royal Navy Museums

Location: Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Wear with Pride celebrates Portsmouth’s strong tattoo and maritime heritage. Classic sailor tattoos, found everywhere from the high seas to tattoo parlours around the world, have long been symbols of adventure, bravery and resilience. Rooted in seafaring traditions and superstitions, these traditional tattoos were more than ink – they acted as talismans, reminders of home and signs of loyalty to a life at sea. A sailor’s tattoos were a map of his life and his voyage.

In this design, each tattoo is placed in its traditional placements. From the iconic Arches tattoo parlour to the famous Pompey dots, the lion proudly wears his collection of inky badges of honour. Together, they form a rich tapestry of life shaped by the ocean and the stories carried across roaring seas.

Audio description

Listen to a 50 second audio description of the Royal Navy Museums lion sculpture.