The Mary Rose Museum
Main Rd, Portsmouth, England
Built by King Henry VIII in the 16th century, the Mary Rose is one of Britain’s most legendary warships. The pride of the Royal Navy, the mighty vessel saw battle numerous times before finally meeting her fate in 1545. More than 400 years later, the raised wreck was returned to her birthplace in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
The basics
Visiting the purpose-built museum that houses the raised wreck of the Mary Rose affords impressive panoramic views of the Royal warship. Admire the views from the Upper Deck viewing gallery, browse the world’s largest collection of Tudor artifacts, and learn the fascinating history of the Mary Rose from her maiden voyage to her sinking at the Battle of the Solvent in 1545. Highlights also include a multi-sensory 4D cinema experience, following the divers that helped to salvage and raise the shipwreck.
Many Portsmouth shore excursions and walking tours include a visit to the Historic Dockyard, home to the Mary Rose Museum, along with nearby attractions, such as HMS Victory, the Spinnaker Tower, and Gun Wharf Quays.
Things to know before you go
There is an admission fee to visit the Mary Rose Museum, or you can purchase a combination ticket that includes entry to two other Portsmouth Historic Dockyard attractions.
Plan around two hours to explore all of the museum exhibitions.
There is a gift shop and a café serving drinks and snacks on-site.
The Mary Rose Museum is fully accessible for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, as well as offering audio loop systems and sensory resources for travelers who are visually impaired and hearing impaired.
How to get there
The Mary Rose Museum is located within Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, right next door to HMS Victory. You can walk to the dockyard from town in about 10 minutes or from Portsmouth Harbour train and bus station in less than five minutes. There’s also a car park at the dockyard.
When to get there
The Mary Rose Museum is open daily year-round, except for Christmas closing from December 24 to 26. Opening hours are 10am to 5pm from November through March and 10am to 5.30pm from April through October, with last entry an hour before closing. Portsmouth typically enjoys the best weather in spring and summer, from May to August, although expect the Mary Rose to be busiest in the peak summer holiday season (late July through August).
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
From the Spanish Armada and the Battle of Trafalgar during the Napoleonic Wars through both World Wars, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard has been the epicenter of the British Royal Navy since the 1500s. Today, the impressive collection of museum ships includes the Mary Rose, Admiral Nelson’s HMS Victory, the iron-hulled HMS Warrior warship, the HMS Alliance submarine, and a WWI warship, providing a fascinating insight into Britain’s naval history.
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