Visit Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH HISTORIC DOCKYARD
HMS Warrior built 1860 was the world's first iron-hulled armoured battleship. She was built for the Royal Navy in response to the first ironclad warship, the French battleship La Gloire launched in 1859. When first launched, the 4.5 inch thick wrought iron armoured belt meant that she could withstand all naval cannon in service at that time, she was regarded as the most powerful warship in the world. The rapid advances in technology at that time resulted in HMS Warrior becoming obsolete within ten years. In 1875 she was relegated to the Reserve Fleet ranks her guns and upper masts were removed around this time. Warrior was saved from being scrapped by the work of the Maritime Trust. They recognized the ship as one of the Royal Navy's most historically important warships.

Restoration of Warrior for use as a museum ship began in August 1979 and by mid-1987, after years of hard work the restoration was completed, and on June 16th 1987 she was moved to her current berth in Portsmouth. Visitors can view all aspects of life on board, beautifully recreated as it would of have been, there are countless artifacts on board, such as cannon and naval equipment of the day. The officers quarters hold some very fine furniture, you can also visit the quarter masters store and the engine rooms.

GUNWHARF QUAYS
Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth's newest shopping area, is part of the Portsmouth Harbour regeneration project.Situated on the former home of HMS Vernon, Gunwharf Quays is home to some 90 shops and designer retail outlet stores including a Ralph Lauren outlet, 20 bars and restaurants many on the waterfront, a 26 lane Bowlplex a 14 screen cinema and waterside appartments and housing developments. There are some great stores such as the Bose shop where you can test the Bose speaker system, headphones or sounddock in the specially designed demonstration area. There is a large GAP outlet store and for the home there is an outlet shop for Villeroy & Boch china. The shops are mainly located around the central square and also along the southern side of the canalside area. The restaurants are mainly at the waterfront, second floor areas and along the northern canalside area

SPINNAKER TOWER
The Spinnaker Tower which opened in October 2005, is situated right on the edge of Portsmouth Harbour on the waterfront of the Gunwharf Quays development. It is higher than the London Eye, Blackpool tower and Big Ben and at 170m is the tallest publicly accessible structure in the UK. The tower was originally conceived as part of the Millenium projects, intended to celebrate the move into the new Millenium in the year 2000. Portsmouth applied for a lottery grant for a range of projects as part of the Portsmouth Harbour regeneration scheme with the tower as its focal point. In 1995 the project was awarded a lottery grant of £38m towards the project.

D DAY MUSEUM
The D-Day Museum was opened in 1984 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of D-Day. Its centrepiece is the magnificent Overlord Embroidery commissioned by Lord Dulverton of Batsford (1915-92) as a tribute to the sacrifice and heroism of those men and women who took part in Operation Overlord. The Museum was extended in 1994 for D-Day 50. The Dulverton Wing is a multi-purpose space which is used amongst other things for lectures, exhibitions and work with schools.

Once upon a time, the planning of the greatest seaborne invasion ever took place.
Four years in the preparation, Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, marked the beginning of the end of World War II and the eventual liberation of Europe.

ROYAL GARRISON CHURCH
The Domus Dei (God's House) was founded in Old Portsmouth by Peter de Rupibus, the Crusader Bishop of Winchester, in the year 1212, as a Hospice, to shelter and help Pilgrims from overseas bound for the Holy Shrines at Canterbury, Chichester and Winchester. Originally it was a long, vaulted hall, divided on either side into bays to house patients, with the Chapel at one end. In the hall the aged, sick and homeless were tended by six Brethren and six Sisters. There was a Master or Warden in charge. As the importance of Portsmouth grew as a Garrison Town, so the importance of the Domus Dei grew.

In 1449 Henry VI sent the Bishop of Chichester, Adam Moleyns, to the Church in order to pay the soldiers and sailors of the Garrison. Because of a disagreement in the amount of pay, the Bishop was murdered. For this crime the town was excommunicated and remained under interdict for fifty years.

The Church was closed when the religious houses were dissolved by Henry VIII in 1540. The Master, John Incent, was rewarded for surrendering the church by being made Dean of St Pauls, in London. The buildings then served a brief life as an Armoury. Later the secular buildings on the south side of Domus Dei were coverted into a Residence for the Governor of Portsmouth and was called Government House (demolished 1826)

PORTSMOUTH CITY MUSEUM
The City is the museum of and for the people of portsmouth. There are temporary exhibition galleries, which have a frequently changing parade of fascinating shows on a wide range of subjects - recent exhibitions have included Space Exploration, Portsmouth at the time Nelson and Eco Fashion. To see what's on at present please click on 'Events and Exhibitions'

The museum's main displays feature the 'Story of Portsmouth'. Discover how life at home has changed over the centuries in the 'Living in Portsmouth' Gallery which looks at life in the home with the reconstruction of a 17th century bedchamber, an 1871 dockyard worker's kitchen, a Victorian parlour, a 1930s kitchen and a 1950s living room. The story continues with 'Portsmouth at Play' on the beach, in the cinema, on the football field and dance floor.

BLUE REEF AQUARIUM
The Blue Reef Aquarium in Southsea, Portsmouth, voted Visitor Attraction of the Year by Tourism South East.
Situated on Clarence Esplanade, between the two piers overlooking the busy Solent, Blue Reef Aquarium is a great visit whatever the weather.

Be amazed by animals ranging from local marine species to the hundreds of tropical fish in the gigantic ocean display complete with underwater tunnel.

FORT NELSON
Fort Nelson was built in the 1860s, as part of a chain of fortifications protecting the great naval harbour of Portsmouth in Hampshire and its Royal Dockyard from a feared French invasion.
Covering nearly 19 acres and now fully restored, Fort Nelson sits majestically atop Portdsown Hill, with amazing views of the Solent and the Meon Valley. The Fort stands today as a monument to the skills and ingenuity of Victorian engineering and architecture. Entry is FREE of charge to all visitors, all year round.

Places to visit and things to do in Portsmouth