The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth

The National Museum of the Royal Navy is a treasure trove for anyone captivated by Britain鈥檚 maritime heritage. Located within the original HM Naval Base storehouses dating back to the 18th century and featuring the modern Victory Gallery, the museum offers visitors a richly layered journey through naval history. Its history stretches back to 1911 as the Royal Naval Museum, evolving into today鈥檚 national museum with a renaming in 2010 to reflect its broader mission.

Visitors can explore six carefully curated galleries. Among them, the Nelson Gallery illuminates the life and enduring legacy of Admiral Lord Nelson through personal artifacts and compelling narratives. The Hear My Story gallery offers a human perspective鈥攕haring firsthand accounts from sailors and naval personnel over the past century. Meanwhile, Worlds Beneath the Waves immerses you in naval exploration, from the HMS Challenger scientific mission to modern deep-sea advancements.

A highlight for many is the opportunity to board iconic vessels tethered at the Dockyard. Step aboard HMS Victory, Nelson鈥檚 flagship at Trafalgar and the world's oldest commissioned warship, and explore its decks and restored Victory Gallery. Just steps away, HMS Warrior, the first iron-hulled warship, and HMS M33, one of only three surviving Royal Navy WWI monitor ships, bring different eras of naval engineering vividly to life.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Portsmouth. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: The National Museum of the Royal Navy
Sight Location: Portsmouth, England (See walking tours in Portsmouth)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Historical Dockyard Tour

Walking Tours in Portsmouth, England

Create Your Own Walk in Portsmouth

Creating your own self-guided walk in Portsmouth is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Famous English Writers Walking Tour

Jane Austen was born in 1775 in Steventon, North Hampshire. In her day, Portsmouth was a rough-edged seaport filled with people she considered "underbred." Nevertheless, she often traveled to Portsmouth to visit her brothers Francis and Charles, stationed there with the Royal Navy. Austen included Royal Naval characters in her novels, Persuasion and Mansfield Park.

Charles Dickens was... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles

Historical Dockyard Tour

The naval theme has always been dominant for Portsmouth. Most of the city's historic events are in one way or another associated with its seaside location. Portsmouth's Historical Dockyard is the area that offers a glimpse into the city's maritime past.

The very first notable landmark here is Victory Gate, the dockyard's main entrance. Inside, visitors will find HMS... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 0.4 Km or 0.2 Miles

Portsmouth Introduction Walking Tour

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle claims a warrior named Port and his two sons killed a noble Briton in Portsmouth in 501 AD. Winston Churchill, in his "A History of the English-Speaking Peoples," wrote that Port was a pirate who founded Portsmouth in the same year.

King AEthelwulf sent a force to drive off Viking raiders in Portsmouth in the 9th century. The Danes loved Portsmouth, but they... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.2 Km or 2.6 Miles

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