In January 1991, the architect Christopher Alexander was commissioned by the Mary Rose Trust to design a museum to house Henry VIII's famous warship. This is a record of his vision of that museum, ranging from first design concepts to finished models and drawings.

In 1982, more than 400 years after she mysteriously sank off the English coastline, Henry VIII's great warship "Mary Rose" was raised to the surface. The ship, extraordinarily intact, was towed to a dry dock at Portsmouth, where she lies today. In January 1991, the architect Christopher Alexander was commissioned by the Mary Rose Trust to design a museum to house this national treasure. This book explains Alexander's vision of a permanent home for the "Mary Rose", ranging from the first inception of its design to finished models and drawings. To Alexander, the great ship is a touchstone for the architecture of the future.