Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Pick up your ticket from our friendly Visitor Centre and ask them to help you plan your visit.

We would recommend taking a stroll through the dockyard to surround yourself with its atmosphere and history until you reach The Mary Rose. Visit this extraordinary time capsule that was buried at the bottom of the sea and then dramatically rediscovered. Enjoy thousands of fascinating objects and be immersed in the new Dive the Mary Rose 4D.

You can then visit HMS Victory the UK’s most famous warship and Nelson’s flagship in the Battle of Trafalgar. Step on board and follow in the footsteps of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson, witness how the crew lived and see the might of the 104 guns on the decks. An audio guide is available. The outside of Victory is currently undercover apart from it’s famous stern and prow whilst it undergoes a once in a lifetime conservation project – Victory Live: The Big Repair. See parts of the ship never uncovered before and watch the shipwrights and conservators at work.

Don’t miss out on the magnificent Victorian engineering marvel HMS Warrior that sits proudly in the Harbour. On board you will find a stunning engine room and some of Warrior’s crew who love to talk to visitors about their time at sea.

On the weekends and during the school holidays you can take one of our water buses (included in the ticket) across to Royal Navy Submarine Museum and Explosion – Museum of Naval Firepower. Be amazed by HMS Alliance a 1945 submarine surrounded by a picturesque marina. Take a tour of the boat with an ex submariner and enjoy their brilliant stories of life at sea. Don’t forget to visit Holland 1 the first submarine!

These are just some of the highlights of a visit to the dockyard. You can also visit HMS M.33 a First World War ship that survived the Gallipoli campaign and the National Museum of the Royal Navy which takes you on a journey through the history of the Royal Navy from the 1700s to the present day.

Also included in your ticket is a Harbour Tour – The tour offers unrivalled views of Britain’s modern frigates, destroyers and other vessels, as well as historic buildings and the dramatic skyline of the harbour.

Along the way there are plenty of opportunities to take a photo or take a break. The Mary Rose has a cafe with the best views of not only HMS Victory but also the modern aircraft carriers when they are anchored there. When you visit cafe Camber Lights over at Explosion it has great views of the harbour and of course delicious snacks.