The HMS Beagle was a British Royal Navy ship launched in 1820. It is best known for its second voyage from 1831 to 1836, during which it carried the naturalist Charles Darwin. The ship's mission was to survey the coastlines of South America and map uncharted territories. During its voyages, the HMS Beagle explored various regions, including the Galápagos Islands, where Darwin made observations that contributed to his theory of evolution. The ship completed a total of three significant voyages before being decommissioned in 1845 and eventually sold for scrap in 1870.