H.M.S. Surprise, the ship used in the academy award winning film, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World has found a permanent home at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The H.M.S Surprise is a magnificent replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate. On board visitors will find fascinating exhibits featuring artifacts, costumes, weapons and props used in the film and a re-creation of the H.M.S. Surprise’s gun deck.

H.M.S. Surprise is a 179-foot full rigged ship. Her designers and builders made a painstaking effort to recreate a 24 gun frigate of Great Britan's Nelson era Royal Navy. The result is a replica vessel unmatched in its authenticity and attention to detail. Originally christened H.M.S. Rose when she was launched in 1970, she served as a sail training vessel operating out of several East coast ports for over 30 years. the ship underwent extensive modifications for the production of the film in 2002. The museum purchased the H.M.S. Surprise from 20th Century Fox in October, 2004. Plans include restoring the ship to seaworthy condition, but she probably will not be ready to sail until 2006 at the earliest.