View Full Version : RN Museum Portsmouth
cissystar650
05-02-2008, 10:20
Hiya...
It's been years since I have been to Portsmouth, and even longer since I visited HMS Victory, although the children have both been recently on school trips.
This time, I am hoping to fit in a good visit to the Museum as well as a tour round the Victory... but need to get it done in a day (unlikely, given the amount of time I can spend in Museums!)
So... any advice or 'must see's'? Or in fact does anyone want me to suss out anything in particular while I am in the area? If I have to do two days I will (Portsmouth is only 40 minutes from here).
Any pointers on what we should see would be great!
Cissy
John Brown
05-02-2008, 11:19
Cissy
Personally, I think one day would be plenty of time to see everything, assuming of course you are not going in the middle of summer when the kids are all there.
Victory of course and I think a tour of HMS Warrior is a must. A quick look at HMS Minerva and then a walk through the museum buildings. Depending on what ships are in port you may want to take a boat trip around the harbour. The Mary Rose exhibition has never really appealed to me but that's a matter of personal choice.
Fish and chips out of the paper, a couple of beers in 'The Still and West' then off home to bed.
There is always the D-Day museum in Southsea and the submarine museum in Gosport if you did want to make two days of it. If you haven't seen it before, this site might help.
http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/
Have a great day or two out!!
Regards...John
The Sailor
05-02-2008, 12:48
We had a thread going on Victory a week or so ago Cissy.
Here it is if you want to continue it on.
http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=592
Batstiger
05-02-2008, 14:12
Hi Cissy.
Take a word of advice from me.
I went to Hirst last year with my wife and stayed at my son's, "The Jolly Farmer" ( I don't know if you know it?)
I hadn't been to Portsmouth since I left the Navy (1961) so I made a point of going on our last full day down there. I only wish I had gone on the first day down there because I can assure you that one day is not enough.
My wife and I purchased a combined ticket which entitled us to go round things as many times as we wished in a twelve month period.
On the one day that we were there we managed HMS Warrior and a couple of minor attractions then the day was over.
We intend to go down again this year with the same ticket, but this time to make sure we get the full benefit.
Have a lovely time.
Bob.
cissystar650
05-02-2008, 14:51
Thanks Bob!
Fortunately, we live close enough that we can do a couple of days in Portsmouth. I think I will take your advice, maybe do one day with children and then one day without. That way they get to do the exciting things (HMS Warrior and Victory) and I get to do the bookworm thing in the Museum!
Cissy
herakles
05-02-2008, 19:02
It's certainly an area full of interest.
Erm Bob, are the forum members able to get 10% ... ... ...
Hiya Cissy
If you have time, you might like to visit the Explosion Museum in Gosport. It tells the story of Naval Armaments and the life in an Armaments Depot.
Alan
cissystar650
06-02-2008, 08:58
Thankyou all for your suggestions...duly noted. Am planning all this for the half term in a couple of weeks.
Cissy
Having just moved down to Portsmouth 6 months and only 20 mins walk away or 5 mins on the bus I should be able to help you on this but to my shame I have only visited once although I do have an 18 month season ticket which allows me unlimited access to all the atractions during that period.
My first port of call was HMS Victory as my Granfather served on her. No not in 1805... I am oldish but not that oldish !! The Mary Rose is interesting but I am sure your kids will love the Mary Rose Museum shop as there are quite a few interactive things for them to do.
So far as other things to see, there is very good aquarium along the seafront called the Blue Reef, be sure to check out the little sea horses, sea otters and sharks. Not all people agree with zoos and aquaruim etc but this one is very educational.
As for shopping you have Gunwharf Quay next to the dockyard, Commercial Road which is the main drag and Sothsea which has a "villagey" feel about it and much quieter than the other two. Of course that's where I live !!
Anything else... well you know where I am.
Viv
cissystar650
12-02-2008, 07:14
Thanks Viv.
I was thinking of getting one of the family season tickets as we live close enough to make use of it. Thanks for the advice re shops... I'll make sure to avoid them (strange I know, but I hate shopping!).
Cissy
I thought I was the person who hated shopping now I don't feel quite so odd!
I am a bish bash bosh type of shopper... go out, buy it, come home ...
Viv
herakles
12-02-2008, 10:32
Odd! Most women love shopping it seems.
It is said that only men can buy 45 Xmas presents in 20 minutes on Xmas Eve!
cissystar650
12-02-2008, 11:03
Odd! Most women love shopping it seems.
It is said that only men can buy 45 Xmas presents in 20 minutes on Xmas Eve!
yeah but, most women don't spend their days rooting through Royal Navy History either... you could never accuse me and Viv of being 'normal' :D
I am an internet shopper or catalogue shopper... on the rare occasion when I have to buy kids stuff I am like a Rottweiller in the shops and have it all done, and home in about ten minutes!
Odd! Most women love shopping it seems.
It is said that only men can buy 45 Xmas presents in 20 minutes on Xmas Eve!
Yep............ I agree and 44 of them are returned by their recipients when the shops open their doors for business after Christmas !!!!
Viv
herakles
14-02-2008, 10:29
Touché Viv!
cissystar650
17-02-2008, 17:24
Phew, Glad I got a season ticket!
Went today with three kids... saw HMS Victory (still amazes me how so many men fitted onboard!), The Mary Rose, the Victory Museum, The Dockyard Apprentice Display and all the gift shops! Treated myself to a book or two!
Fantastic day out, and I am planning on going again this week without children!
Cissy
cissystar650
17-02-2008, 17:26
Oh and the Trafalgar Experience... what a painting by Wyllie...the panaromic Battle of Trafalgar! Only took him 9 months to paint and he was 79 when he painted it... stunning!
Cissy
Glad you enjoyed your visit....
Although I have got a season ticket I have yet to do a proper full day visit even though being only few minutes away !
I must get out and breathe some fresh air. I spent the majority of yesterday in the library researching my Grandfather's naval history..... as well as getting out, I should get a life as well !!
Armed with all this new info I guess I must go down to the dockyard BUT when it is quieter.Viv
:)
stewart mcloughlin
20-03-2008, 00:45
D-Day Museum on the front with the Normandy Tapestry.
Still & West is like any other pub now, all clean and copper top tables. Used to enjoy sitting in the 'conservatory' and watching the ships come and go.
Been on many overseas holidays but Portsmouth is still a favourite.
The misses used to work in the telegraph office, or whatever it was called, that Victory's bowsprit points at.
So, so much to see and do. Love the place.
If you really, really had the opportunity, of a photo of the Naval Memorial on the sea front, Panel 65, column 1, HMS Martin, A.B. Thomas Edward WAUD, I would really be indebted. He's one of our village casualties and we are building up a profile of him. Understand if you can't fit it in.
Regards
Stewart
herakles
20-03-2008, 01:14
When I saw this thread reappear, my first thought was: My word, hasn't cissy gone yet?
This is a warm-hearted post Stewart, clearly full of memories so important to you. Hang onto them mate. They are about all we have in these crazy days.
Portsmouth was about the first place I headed to when visiting the Emerald Isle many moons ago with my wife. Long suffering wife who never really did get to grips with the things that I hold so dear - Like Nelson, the Empire, my Queen and so on.
To re-visit the place where my grandfather built the big warships and to get lost on board Victory and to be quietly admonished for not keeping up! Some of many highlights. Then on to Brixham - family territory. I needed to see where all that salt water in their blood came from!!
cissystar650
20-03-2008, 07:10
Stewart thankyou for that! I have been, three times! I have a season ticket for the Historic Dockyard and plan to go back again soon. In any case, I still have relations in Portsmouth, so I am often there. I will of course take the photo for you on my next trip.
Great memories!
Cissy
Next time you are going to be in Portsmouth, Cissy, drop me a PM if you'd like to. I work about 10 minutes (to landward!) from the Gosport end of the Gosport Ferry.
Also: I have just discovered (by experience) that if you join the Friends of the Royal Naval Museum you'll be entitled to free entry to the museum, access to other local museums, & concessions at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Yum.
stewart mcloughlin
17-04-2008, 00:05
Nothin' for the Still and West then??? :)
Stewart
It takes a concession to get you in there?? ;)
cissystar650
17-04-2008, 07:18
Next time you are going to be in Portsmouth, Cissy, drop me a PM if you'd like to. I work about 10 minutes (to landward!) from the Gosport end of the Gosport Ferry.
Also: I have just discovered (by experience) that if you join the Friends of the Royal Naval Museum you'll be entitled to free entry to the museum, access to other local museums, & concessions at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Yum.
Thankyou! I'll let you know when my next trip there is! Now it's motorbiking season, I can see lots of rides in that direction!
Cissy
It is many years since I visited Portsmouth but I throughly enjoyed the Historic Dockyard visit. The Trafalgar panorama is well worth a visit but created an embarrassing moment. Many years ago as a Sea Cadet I spent some time aboard the TS Foudroyant which had HMS Implacable as the accommodation vessel. This was the ex Dougay Troin, captured at Trafalgar and taken into RN service and renamed. My wife, daughters and I were visiting the Victory and the panorama and I was busy pontificating about my experiences aboard the Implacable when a voice behind said, 'You are very knowledgable. Were you prize crew?' As they say in Victorian comics, 'Collapse of stout party'.
Ken
bob shayler
17-05-2008, 10:44
Hi Cissy,
A few more photo's from Explosions,
regards,
Bob
Bob,
You have wet my whistle re the Explosion museum in Gosport, does look a bit run down though, any more photos.
Regards Charles
bob shayler
17-05-2008, 11:18
Hi Joseph,
I will take some more in the near furture. The museum itself is far from run down, it's just that it is housed in a very historic site and the museum and surrounding buildings are very old. The museum also suffers from a serious lack of funding which limits opening hours to weekends only. It will be a week or two before I can get their again,
Regards,
Bob
Bob,
Thank you, looking forward to it.
Regards Charles
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