I’ve been fascinated by the Mary Rose, ever since I watched the wreck being raised from below the Solent as a toddler, so attending to see this Tudor ship is at all times a spotlight of a go to to Portsmouth – however with a lot to do at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with youngsters, it’s actually solely the start.
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House to Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory, in addition to HMS Warrior, as soon as the world’s largest warship, plus a string of different sights, it’s no shock that the Historic Dockyard‘s tickets features a 12-month Final Explorer cross to provide you adequate time to suit all of them in.
However in the event you’re solely you’re solely visiting Portsmouth for sooner or later, as we had been, and squeezing in a go to to the Spinnaker Tower as effectively, simply what are you able to handle to see at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with youngsters? Actually rather a lot…
The Mary Rose Museum
For sure, our first cease needed to be the Mary Rose – I bear in mind seeing the ship right here again within the 80s with my very own dad and mom, however by the point I subsequent visited as an grownup, a significant £5 million venture was underway to provide her a brand new residence and put extra reveals on show.
Reopened as soon as once more in 2016, I couldn’t wait to see her in all her new glory and introduce my daughter to the story of the ship, her wrecking and salvage.
And the Mary Rose Museum might hardly be extra totally different than my reminiscences of my first go to – which, let’s face it, had been nonetheless spectacular sufficient for me to recollect it vividly for many years! Then, guests had been saved on a walkway below low lighting with water jets spraying the traditional timbers.
As we speak’s high-tech, in-depth exhibition is a world away, and if I hadn’t needed to see extra of the Historic Dockyard’s sights, I believe I might have spent all day right here.
To begin off, you stroll via an interactive presentation narrated by Henry VIII himself, giving a few of the background in regards to the Mary Rose. His personal flagship throughout the wars with the French, she sank in 1545 because the king watched from the shore, with greater than 400 males killed.
It’s a extremely enjoyable approach to deliver the story to life for teenagers, earlier than entering into the exhibition galleries. And with loads of interactive touches all through, there’s little likelihood of youthful guests becoming bored by the mass of historic element.
Within the first room alone, my daughter was engrossed in a portray of the sinking of the Mary Rose, with touchscreens permitting you to decide on specific particulars to study extra about, from folks pictured to on a regular basis life, in addition to extra in regards to the ships moored within the harbour.
Then there’s dressing as much as get pleasure from, in between studying extra background together with theories on why the Mary Rose sank, why so a lot of her crew had been drowned, and some artefacts together with the ship’s bell.
However across the nook is your first sight of the wreck herself, with a number of viewing galleries on totally different ranges. With elements rotted away, you’ll be able to see the entire skeleton of the ship – and it feels astounding that something has survived, though the strong oak used within the building continues to be powerful sufficient to stroll on.
Not that guests can do this, after all, however with new glass panels by the walkways and an unobstructed line of sight to the ship, the views are higher than ever.
As with the remainder of the shows, it’s all been accomplished very cleverly – after gazing onto the darkened and silent ship for a couple of minutes, the wreck unexpectedly sprang to life, as sure areas on board had been illuminated with projections of their inhabitant going about their each day enterprise.
It provides you an thought of how crowded, noisy and customarily filled with exercise and bustle the ship will need to have been, with wooden being sawn, a canine barking, voices echoing; abruptly as a substitute of a historic wreck, you see the Mary Rose as very a lot a residing ship.
A part of me hardly needs to spoil the impact, which took us by delighted shock, however as one in every of my favorite parts, it’s too good to maintain secret.
As you then discover the totally different themed galleries with extra reveals and knowledge, you retain having an opportunity to see the Mary Rose from the assorted ranges as you go, which is an added bonus.
However there’s now much more to discover than merely the wreck. A number of the first shows introduce you to folks or occupations on board – even together with the skeleton of the ship’s canine.
Alongside the best way, you’ll study all the things from what the furnishings and instruments you’d have discovered within the cabins, such because the surgeon’s gear, proper all the way down to the garments the grasp gunner was carrying, full with gunpowder stain.
The shows even recreate the faces of a few of the crew, in addition to intimate particulars found from their skeletons – the grasp gunner had horrible enamel and a healed fracture on his left hand, for instance, whereas the grasp carpenter in all probability got here from Spain, was in his 30s and had the beginnings of arthritis.
Plus there are notes with added bits of trivia, and tips about particulars to look out for, resembling carved dragons in a single specific case – one other bonus for households.
There’s extra interactive enjoyable right here too: a sport to see in the event you might disable enemy ships moderately than sinking them, an opportunity to get palms on with stone shot used within the weapons, and even a duplicate of a jar from the surgeon’s cabin, which nonetheless smelled of menthol centuries after it was misplaced beneath the waves.
Elsewhere you may excavate gadgets from beneath the sand with a paintbrush, or see in the event you’re sturdy sufficient to drag again the drawstring on a longbow – not really easy, no marvel the archer discovered on board had a broken elbow from doing that time and again!
There’s a lot data, this evaluation might simply change into a ebook if I attempted to say all the things, however consider me once I say enable loads of time to soak all of it in! You’re advisable to permit two hours not less than.
To complete, there’s a 4D cinema expertise, Dive the Mary Rose 4D, which is new for 2023 overlaying her more moderen historical past with the discovering of the Mary Rose in 1971, the lengthy excavation and the intricate salvage operation to lift the wreck in 1982, a feat that’s virtually as spectacular because the ship herself.
HMS Victory
Nelson’s flagship is the opposite best-known spotlight of a go to to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with youngsters, the oldest naval ship nonetheless in fee worldwide.
And whereas the ship is at the moment lined in scaffolding, you’ll be able to nonetheless go aboard to go searching.
Solely ever designed to final for round 9 years earlier than needing repairs, beginning energetic service in 1778 throughout the warfare of American Independence, then famously taking over Napoleon’s fleet on the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Victory has survived for over 250 years.
With a lot of her timbers rotting, a £45 million pound revamp has eliminated the decayed sections and is aiming to revive the remainder of the ship over the following 10 years or so – which does imply that in the event you go to now, you’ll get to see sections of Victory which have by no means been on show earlier than.
It’s straightforward sufficient to dodge the scaffolding, and whereas there could be a couple of detours on the route, we didn’t really feel that we had been lacking out on any of the important thing elements of the ship both.
And what brings HMS Victory to life is the improbable audio information. Usually we are likely to skip these as my daughter both needs to race via or shortly will get bored of listening to the recorded information.
On Victory, it was fairly the other: she insisted we didn’t go away till she had listened to each final part (in addition to replaying the one on the poop deck a number of occasions over!)
The narration builds up an image of occasions main as much as Nelson boarding the ship, the journey to fulfill the Franco-Spanish fleet, via to the Battle of Trafalgar till the Admiral’s loss of life after a sniper’s bullet, in addition to particulars about life on board – which was residence to over 800 crew members.
Strolling via the comparatively luxurious captain’s cabin (designed to be remodeled at a second’s discover if the cannon had been wanted), the surgeon’s quarters, the traces of weapons under decks and the kitchens, there’s all the things from maps and drums to ornate rugs bringing Victory to life.
When you’ve explored inside, you’ll be able to even head down to take a look at Victory’s hull. You’re steered to permit round an hour to go searching, which is roughly how lengthy we spent.
If you wish to study extra in regards to the restoration venture together with particulars of the challenges concerned, there’s additionally Victory Stay: The Large Restore, which takes you onto the scaffolding, together with a household path.
You can too go to the Victory Gallery, which tells the ship’s full story past Trafalgar, with movie and artefacts plus interactive exhibitions. And to finish the set, the Nelson Gallery on the Nationwide Museum of the Royal Navy has extra on the Admiral’s life, together with his scandalous love life, triumphs and defeats.
HMS Warrior
With restricted time left to discover the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, our massive query was what else to slot in, as we weren’t in need of choices to complete our go to.
Torn between a harbour tour and the possibility to discover the dockyard’s third well-known ship, the massing clouds and the need to see the ship we’d noticed earlier that day from the highest of the Spinnaker Tower, meant that HMS Warrior received out.
The latest of the three nice ships at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, HMS Warrior was as soon as the world’s largest warship, the jewel of the Victorian Navy when she launched in 1860, and essentially the most superior ship of her time.
Britain’s first iron-hulled, armoured battleship, she is steam-powered – though additionally has masts and sufficient sails to cowl 13 tennis courts!
In contrast to the opposite two ships, there isn’t an audio information or an enormous quantity of data on board – as a substitute you study extra about HMS Warrior from the characters on board, from Victorian vacationers strolling on deck to the crew under.
Sadly, throughout our go to, there have been solely a few folks round – maybe as a result of we had been exploring late within the day – so it did really feel like we in all probability missed a variety of the data accessible.
Whereas we bought a peek into the brig, with one character sharing some particulars on what might see you banged up within the cell, and noticed an engineer as we peered on the glow of the fires from the engine room, we didn’t stumble upon anybody else alongside the best way.
It’s nonetheless spectacular to wander round although. The deck felt enormous by comparability to HMS Victory, with the masts towering above, though the hanging beds and sensible opulence of the captain’s quarters felt very acquainted.
We did spot a couple of enjoyable particulars as effectively, together with the yearly pay for various ranks – amusingly the paymaster ended up going residence with the most important wage – and afternoon tea laid out for the officers, in addition to the communal tub with three tubs lined up subsequent to one another.
There was even a chart with tips about the right way to tie knots, and a menu with some moderately unappealing dishes together with celery seed soup, or preserved potato. Positively someplace to revisit to find extra of Warrior’s tales.
Extra issues to see at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with youngsters
We might simply have stuffed our total day at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, and a second one too – and whereas we did handle to see all three well-known ships, the Mary Rose, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior, there was loads left together with the next sights.
Harbour excursions
After so lengthy exploring ships in dry dock and studying the tales of a few of the Navy’s most well-known moments, you will get on board your self with a harbour tour round Portsmouth harbour.
In addition to seeing town from the water, you can too get a have a look at a few of the fashionable Navy’s ships up shut, together with frigates, destroyers and plane carriers, all primarily based in Portsmouth, with commentary from the harbour tour captain, plus extra tales from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard’s previous and current.
It’s price realizing that there are not any buggies or pushchairs allowed on board, though there’s a buggy park by Boathouse 4 close by, and excursions could also be cancelled if the climate is dangerous. The excursions are included in Final Explorer tickets (otherwise you could possibly purchase particular person tickets on the day), and locations on board are restricted.
HMS M.33
HMS M.33 is among the few surviving British First World Battle ships, inbuilt 1915 and the one British survivor of the Dardanelles Marketing campaign, together with the Gallipoli marketing campaign.
Guides on board share what life would have been like for these preventing on the Japanese Entrance, together with movie, exhibition and recreated cabins from the ‘fortunate ship’s’ wartime service.
Motion Stations: Commando Expertise
In case your youngsters wish to burn off some vitality after exploring the opposite sights or fancy themselves as a future Royal Marine, Motion Stations is ideal, with loads of play and adrenaline-fuelled enjoyable within the journey zone.
For the smallest adventurers, there’s Sky Tykes, geared toward youngsters aged 2-7 with rope bridges and steadiness beams, whereas for age 7+, there’s a 40m assault course designed to check velocity, agility and steadiness – the file stands at 24 seconds!
Or in the event you’ve bought a head for heights, sort out the 8.4m climbing wall, with adjustable ranges of problem. Motion Stations is open at weekends and through Hampshire faculty holidays, whereas there’s additionally Laser Quest for a further price.
Nationwide Museum of the Royal Navy
The Nationwide Museum of the Royal Navy tells each the story of the Navy over the past 350 years and the women and men who’ve served over the past 100 years, each in peacetime and warfare.
There are some gruesomely fascinating details (why are there at all times so many weevils?), reveals on the best way the Navy has influenced communities world wide, in addition to a gallery devoted to Admiral Lord Nelson.
Boathouse 4
Boathouse 4 focuses on the historical past and craft of boatbuilding, with consultants sharing their information, interactive shows and a group of historic small boats.
With data on all the things from 18th century cutter ships to Second World Battle submarines, it’s good in case your youngsters are fascinated by boats giant and small.
Dockyard Apprentice
Reasonably than the ships, Dockyard Apprentice is all in regards to the individuals who labored on the Dockyard over a century in the past, with touch-screen know-how and a few immersive recreations serving to you study their tales.
There are many likelihood to get palms on, testing your knot-tying expertise and holding conventional ship-building instruments, because the Royal Navy’s Dreadnought class ships had been introduced from the drafting board to actuality. Entry is free for all guests.
Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport
The Royal Navy Submarine Museum is on the Dockyard’s second website in Gosport – you’ll be able to take a waterbus from the principle website to achieve it (scroll down for extra particulars) – the place guests can discover Second World Battle sub HMS Alliance, in addition to seeing the Royal Navy’s first submarine, HMS Holland 1, in addition to the tiny 15m lengthy X24.
In addition to peeking via working periscopes, you’ll be able to uncover what life was like at sea – or moderately, below it – plus the half submarines have performed in British naval historical past.
Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower, Gosport
The Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower is dedicated to weapons and armaments – if it goes bang, it’s in all probability right here.
Set at Priddy’s Laborious in Gosport, a website as soon as used to retailer munitions too harmful to be saved on the principal dockyard, ships together with HMS Victory would have loaded their weapons and ammunition right here over the centuries, proper up till the Falklands Battle in 1982. You can too spot missiles, torpedoes and listen to tales of these concerned in making them.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with youngsters: Have to know
There are three tickets accessible for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, together with a one-day single attraction choice (which additionally permits entry into a few of the smaller free sights) – helpful when you’ve got very restricted time to discover.
In any other case, there are two 12-month choices, together with entry to a few sights (plus Motion Stations) and the Final Explorer Move, which supplies you limitless entry to all of the Dockyard’s sights for the complete yr.
You can too get discounted tickets through Tiqets in the event you ebook utilizing my hyperlink, utilizing code MUMMYTRAVELS6, or tickets with free cancellation are additionally accessible on Get Your Information
The Final Explorer Move is barely dearer for youngsters, however the identical value for adults, so realistically, it’s price shopping for when you’ve got not less than sooner or later to discover and need to see multiple sight.
Opening hours fluctuate for the totally different websites and all year long – test the main points prematurely, because the Gosport websites usually are not at all times open 7 days per week.
There’s paid parking very near the Dockyard website in Portsmouth, otherwise you’re solely a brief stroll from Gunwharf Quays which additionally has numerous parking in its multi-storey automotive park. The Dockyard can also be strolling distance from Portsmouth Harbour railway station, and The Laborious bus interchange, plus a Park and Experience choice which stops right here too.
To journey between the principle Portsmouth website and the Gosport websites for the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, and Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower, there’s additionally a waterbus operating from Wednesday to Sunday between April and October. In Hampshire faculty holidays, it runs seven days per week whereas the Gosport sights are open each day, however exterior these occasions, the waterbus runs at weekends solely.
The timetable is offered on-line and it’s included with an Final Explorer Ticket. There are restricted locations aboard, and the waterbus could not run in dangerous climate. Solely umbrella fold stroller pushchairs are allowed on board; all different pushchairs and buggies might be left at one of many buggy parks at Boathouse 4, the Warrior jetty and on the pontoon.
There are a number of locations to get food and drinks across the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard website, in addition to picnic areas if you wish to deliver your personal meals. There are additionally bathrooms with child altering in numerous places across the website.
For extra issues to do in Hampshire with youngsters on a household vacation, in addition to days out in Portsmouth for households, try my prime ideas
Disclosure: My entry to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard was free for the needs of evaluation – all opinions, together with a lifelong obsession with the Mary Rose, stay my very own. This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
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