COVID-19 update - Please read

Please don't visit Portsmouth yet. Though we've been experiencing sunny weather and are enjoying a bank holiday weekend, we want to ensure everyone in the city can socially distance safely. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the city once attractions, shops and restaurants can re-open and we're able to showcase the Great Waterfront City at its very best. Read more, and see our FAQs, here.

The ongoing global COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic is changing how we live, work and socialise for the foreseeable future. In line with official government advice, many visitor attractions, shops, bars and restaurants have closed their doors temporarily in a bid to prevent further spread of the virus. We will use this page to keep you updated on the latest announcements, and what this means across the city of Portsmouth. However, with official advice continually changing to deal with the latest developments, it's wise to contact venues directly before making your journey to a particular attraction or event. A listing on the Visit Portsmouth website isn't a guarantee that the event will go ahead or the attraction will be open, as some decisions may have to be made at the last minute.

The latest information can be found below.

Portsmouth Museums

The six museums operated by Portsmouth City Council (Portsmouth Museum, The D-Day Story, Southsea Castle, Cumberland House Natural History Museum, Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum and Eastney Engine Houses) will be closed indefinitely. In order to minimise social contact to help prevent the spread of the virus, Portsmouth City Council is focusing on essential services to ensure they can continue to run. As such, the six museums are currently closed, and further announcements will be made in due course.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

All sites under the National Museum of the Royal Navy (not just in Portsmouth but also Belfast, Yeovilton and Hartlepool) are now closed until further notice. Further information - including its plans for the future - can be found on the NMRN website.

The Mary Rose

The Mary Rose will be closed to the public for the foreseeable future. Head to the museum's website and follow the social channels for further information as to when it will re-open.

Emirates Spinnaker Tower

The Emirates Spinnaker Tower is now closed to visitors. More information, and the announcement of when it's ready to re-open can be found on the website, as well as up-to-date information on events planned at the tower.

Gunwharf Quays

Gunwharf Quays is now largely closed, with all its bars, restaurants and attractions, and most of its shops, now closed. Only Boots and Tesco remain open for essential purchases, as per the government's most recent lockdown information. Head to the Gunwharf Quays website for full details, and to discover when your favourite outlets are expected to re-open.

Other closures

The following attractions are closed until further notice:
Aspex Gallery
Royal Armouries - Fort Nelson

Cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants

Bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants are also now closed, in line with the latest government measures. However, many restaurants are offering a takeaway or even delivery service, to keep serving their customers even though the physical location has had to close. Check the social media accounts of the city's bars and restaurants to see what takeout options are available, to help you get the food you love, but also support local businesses during these trying times.

Events

Following the latest government advice, all large events in the city have now been cancelled up to the end of August. This means Victorious Festival, Live at the Bandstand, Southsea Food Festival, Beach Dubbin' and more will not go ahead.

Where we have been notified, events previously listed on the Visit Portsmouth website have been removed from our What's On section. However, if an event is listed that doesn't mean it's guaranteed to go ahead as planned. Please check with the organisers before your visit to avoid potential disappointment.

Some city venues which have had to cancel or postpone forthcoming events include:
Portsmouth Guildhall
Kings Theatre
New Theatre Royal
The Wedgewood Rooms
Groundlings Theatre

If you have booked a show at any of the above venues, please check their social media feeds to see if it's still going ahead before you set off. They will also be able to advise on rescheduled dates or potential refunds for cancelled shows, but please be aware they may be busy with a large volume of enquiries for the foreseeable future.

Emirates America's Cup World Series Portsmouth

In order to better protect the health of the public, volunteers, organisers and America's Cup teams, the World Series event in Portsmouth has been cancelled. More information, including ticket refunds for those who'd already bought theirs, can be found on the America's Cup website.

LCT 7074

The Landing Craft Tank was due to be sailed across to Southsea Seafront this spring and be positioned at its new home outside The D-Day Story. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the number of people that can work to finish restoring the LCT, so this move has had to be postponed. More information on when it's to move will be published in due course.

Victorious Festival

Victorious Festival 2020 has been cancelled - the event will return in 2021. Those who planned to go this year are advised to hold onto their tickets, which will grant entry to next year's event. Anyone who cannot make next year's event will be able to apply for a refund. See the Victorious Festival website for further information.

Events in Flagship magazine

The Out and About section of Flagship magazine was created long before any of the recent announcements were made. As such, many events within the magazine will no longer be going ahead (including a number of beach cleans and live music performances). It's worth double checking to see if the event remains listed on the What's On section of this website, or with the event organiser, ahead of making any journey to avoid disappointment if it has since been cancelled.

As noted, this is an ever-changing situation where advice or openings could change daily. Please check this page frequently for updates, but note not all information on the website will be accurate with all the latest changes. Always check with the attraction, restaurant or event organiser in advance to ensure you can still visit as planned.

Thanks for your patience during this time and we hope to welcome many more people to a fully opened Portsmouth once this has passed. However, in the meantime we want to reiterate the government advice to only make journeys that are essential. Portsmouth will still be here to explore for a long time yet, so please delay your visit until a time when it'll be more suitable, and you can get the most out of everything we have to offer.

In the meantime, take a virtual trip to Portsmouth with our run-down of the best interactive activities to enjoy from the comfort of your own home.