Mary Rose Museum

External view of the black saucer shaped museum

Credit Shutterstock.com/Ron Ellis

Last updated: 08 February, 2024

One of the world’s most extraordinary historic relics, the Mary Rose is a 16th-century ship that sailed as part of Henry VIII’s navy. Sunk in battle in 1545, some 60 million people around the world watched the remains of the ship bought to the surface on live television, 437 years later.

Now located in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard complex, visitors to the museum can see the remains of the boat from an elevated walkway, with many original artifacts on display, alongside interactive exhibits that give an insight into life on-board.

Don’t miss

Meet Hatch, the ship’s dog and chief ratcatcher, whose skeleton takes pride of place in the exhibition.

The Virtual Cowdray engraving is a copy of a painting commissioned some time between 1545-8, showing the Battle of the Solent – in which the Mary Rose was sunk.

Logistics

Price from: £24

Minimum age: Any

Age suitable: 6+

When: All year around

Duration: 1-2 hours

Getting there & doing it

The Mary Rose Museum is part of the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard complex, around 90 minutes’ drive from London. It’s a few minutes’ walk from Portsmouth Harbour rail station, which is around 90 minutes from London Waterloo.

Tickets can be purchased online through the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard website. Visitors can buy either a ‘one attraction’ ticket, giving access to just the Mary Rose Museum, or a ‘three attraction’ or ‘Ultimate Explorer’ ticket, which gives access to the other on-site museums.

There are three levels of guided tour available; one- two-hour or a Premium tour. Pre-booking is advised.

When to do it

The museum is open all year round, seven days a week. A popular choice for school groups, weekdays can be as busy as weekends; going first thing in the morning may mean you see at least some of the exhibition before groups arrive.

Who to go with: organised tours

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Portsmouth Historic Dockyards and HMS Victory Tour from London

London

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Delve into Britain’s rich maritime history on this 1-day Portsmouth Historic Dockyards and HMS ‘Victory’ tour from London. Follow a guide through the dockyards and learn of the ships who have fought — and sunk — protecting the British Isles. Discover famous vessels including Henry VIII’s flagship the ‘Mary Rose’, HMS ‘Victory’ — Lord Nelson’s flagship in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 — and the 19th-century HMS ‘Warrior’. Climb the rigging, learn of life on the high seas and explore centuries of sailing history. Tour includes round-trip travel from your London hotel.

Price £360

Min age 5

Rating 4.76 / 5 [13 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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