Portsmouth City Museum

City Museum - Exterior

Type: Museum

The City Museum is the Museum of and for the people of Portsmouth with exciting and varied dispalys.

In the 'Story of Portsmouth' you can discover how life at home has changed over the centuries, with reconstructions of a 17th century bedchamber, an 1871 dockyard worker's kitchen, a Victorian parlour, a 1930s kitchen and a 1950s living room. The story continues with 'Portsmouth at Play', on the beach, in the cinema, on the football field and dance floor. The Fine and Decorative Art Gallery features a wide range of material from the 17th century to the present day.

‘A Study in Sherlock’ explores the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the creation of Sherlock Holmes. It features a range of interactive displays, a ‘new’ Sherlock Holmes mystery, and narration by Stephen Fry, the Patron of the Collection. Come and experience the world of Sherlock Holmes and fine-tune your own powers of detection!

‘Football in the City’ is an exciting permanent gallery space devoted to the 'beautiful game'. Currently on display are rare items such as both footballs from the 1939 and 2008 FA Cup Finals.

'No place like Pompey’ considers the question of what makes Portsmouth unique? Is it one particular place, the city’s geography, its past or its people? The exhibition examines the fact that most of Portsmouth lies on an island, the city’s links with the dockyard and the Royal Navy, and the fortifications that made Portsmouth one of the most heavily defended areas in the country.

As well as the above permanent exhibitions, a regularly changing programme of displays in the Temporary Exhibition Gallery ensures that there is always something to see or do.

Use the weblink on the right to access the Museum’s website for full information.

Prices

Ticket TypeTicket Tariff
Free AdmissionFree

Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis.

Opening Times

Open All Year
01/11/2011 - 31/03/2012
DayTimes
Tuesday10:0017:00
Wednesday10:0017:00
Thursday10:0017:00
Friday10:0017:00
Saturday10:0017:00
Sunday10:0017:00
Bank Holiday10:0017:00
01/04/2012 - 31/10/2012
DayTimes
Tuesday10:0017:30
Wednesday10:0017:30
Thursday10:0017:30
Friday10:0017:30
Saturday10:0017:30
Sunday10:0017:30
Bank Holiday10:0017:30

* Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day & New Year's Day.

Public Transport Directions

Nearest station is Portsmouth Harbour.

Road Directions

M27 to M275 to city.

Accessibility Information

Accessibility Information Icon

Portsmouth City Museum

Museum Road
Portsmouth
Hampshire
PO1 2LJ

Tel: +44 023 9282 7261

Click to enlarge images below:

Facilities

Provider Preferences

  • In town/city centre
  • Indoor Attraction

Accessibility

  • All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors
  • Facilities for Hearing Impaired Visitors
  • Guide Dogs Permitted
  • Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors
  • Ramp/Level Access
  • Toilets for Disabled Visitors

Parking & Transport

  • On site parking
  • On street parking only
  • Railway station within walking distance

Catering

  • Cafe
  • Catering for groups
  • On-Site cafe/restaurant
  • Outdoor eating area
  • Picnic Site

Payment Methods

  • Approx length of visit - 1-1.5 hours
  • Groups Accepted - Must book in advance
  • Maestro Accepted
  • MasterCard accepted
  • Visa accepted

Establishment Features

  • Beach / Coast within walking distance
  • Garden / Grounds for visitors use
  • Groups by arrangement
  • Lift
  • Marquee Space Available
  • Toilets

Specialist Features

  • Educational Groups
  • Marketed Towards Families
  • Marketed Towards Senior Citizens
  • Marketed towards student/youth

Tours and Demonstrations

  • Educational Visits Accepted - Most suitable for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3. 'The Victorians' teaching sessions available.