Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Get set for a fun day out with all the family at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Discover the past, present and future of the Royal Navy at this naval base full of attractions including the 16th-century Mary Rose, HMS Victory and harbour tours, among many others.

Latest deals & discounts on 2024/2025 tickets for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Latest deals & discounts on 2024/2025 tickets for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Top Portsmouth Historic Dockyard offers

Save on visits to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2024/2025 with the latest deals and discount offers on cheap tickets and annual passes including the Ultimate Explorer* and Family Explorer*. Book online up to 24 hours before your visit to save.

  • Save on cheap tickets for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
  • Check out latest discount offers & explorer deals
  • Book online and in advance to save on tickets
  • Book family tickets for 1 adult & up to 3 children for £105
  • Or 2 adults & up to 3 children for just £135 tickets
  • Enjoy all attractions, Waterbus & more for 12 months
  • Discover all the attractions at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
  • Visit all the attractions, waterbus incl & more for 12 months
  • Prices for adults - £44, seniors - £43 & children - £29
  • Join email list and save £10 on single & £20 on family tickets
  • Enjoy the latest news, deals & more when you sign up to email
  • Book a family ticket or singular adult, senior & child tickets
  • Book three attraction tickets at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
  • Visit three attractions, action stations & more for 12 months
  • Prices for adults - £44, seniors - £43 & children - £24
  • Book one day tickets for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
  • Visit one attraction, exhibitions, cafes, restaurants & shops
  • Prices for adults - £34, seniors - £33 & children - £24

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About Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard* is the open, public space where history comes alive within the working HM Naval Base Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth for short).

This active base is home to some two-thirds of the Royal Navy's surface ships, including the latest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, the largest ship ever built by the Royal Navy.

Visit HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Visit HMS Victory at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard © Brian Eyley Images - Alamy Stock Photo

The visitors' side of the dockyard, meanwhile, shares tales of the base's naval evolution, which has played a vital role in the development of the city of Portsmouth since the late 12th century and still employs thousands of people locally.

Today, it is a major attraction with something for all ages and interests. There's everything from exhibits and museums to ships, interactive displays and harbour boat tours to help bring the site to life.

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Attractions

There are more than 10 main attractions spread over two sites; firstly, the naval base at Portsmouth and, secondly, Gosport, just across the harbour.

A complimentary waterbus service* between Portsmouth and Gosport (daily except between November and March, when it operates at weekends only) to help you navigate between attractions as easily as possible. The service typically operates every half an hour, weather-depending, and takes up to 15 minutes.

When you purchase either the Ultimate Explorer* or the Family Explorer* ticket, you are guaranteed entry to all of the attractions found both within the naval base and Gosport, as well as access to the waterbus service.

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HMNB Portsmouth

The main dockyard and bulk of the attractions are found within the naval base. These include the following stars of the show:

  • HMS Victory* - step aboard the famous warship that fought at the Battle of Trafalgar under the guidance of Admiral Horatio Nelson. The ship, which is also a museum dedicated to the navy in Georgian times, is undergoing major restoration that you're invited to see firsthand through Victory Live: The Big Rebuild.
  • The Mary Rose Museum* - examine the remains of Henry VIII's flagship, which was sunk in the Battle of the Solent in 1545; don't miss the theatre experience, Dive the Mary Rose in 4D.
  • HMS Warrior 1860* - take a tour in what was once Britain's fastest, and the nation's first iron-hulled armoured battleship; the pinnacle of the Royal Navy in Victorian times; look out for the period costumed Dockyard Alive team.
  • National Museum of the Royal Navy* - journey through 350 years of Royal Naval heritage with exhibits, displays and interactive guides including the tech-heavy Worlds Beneath the Waves featuring AI and AR.

As well as numerous other smaller attractions, including the harbour boat tours* and Dockyard Apprentice exhibits, ticket holders will be able to enjoy further experiences within the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard:

  • Action Stations: Commando Experience* - got what it takes to join the Royal Marines? Find out with these commando-style challenges.
  • HMS M.33* - set foot on the only remaining ship to have witnessed the disaster in the Dardanelles during WWI and the following Russian Civil War
  • Boathouse 4* - explore this inside of this typical 1930s' style boathouse, which opened in 1939 to help with rearming for WWII.

Gosport

Gosport sits a short hop across the harbour from Portsmouth. Here, two main exhibits run by the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) can be visited with Explorer* passes and Three Attraction* tickets.

  • Royal Navy Submarine Museum* - visit HMS Alliance, the only remaining WWII-era submarine and explore the collection of plans, documents and photos that make up the museum's exhibition.
  • Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower* - an interactive museum considering the goings-on of the old 18th-century powder magazine at its centre.

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Ticket types

There is a variety of ticket types to choose from when planning your visit to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, however, the best value tickets are undoubtedly the annual Explorer* passes, which include limitless visits for one year.

What's included Explorer Three attractions One attraction
Time period 12 months 12 months One day
Number of attractions All 3 1
Historic Dockyard site Yes Yes Yes
Cafes, restaurants and shops Yes Yes Yes
Boathouse 4 boatbuilding exhibition Yes Yes Yes
Dockyard apprentice exhibition Yes Yes Yes
Gosport attractions Yes Yes  
Harbour Tour Yes    

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Ticket prices

Compare prices for access to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard based on whether you're a family, group, couple or individual. Save £5 on Explorer* passes and Three Attraction* tickets when you buy online before you visit.

Ticket type Period Attractions Adults Seniors Children
Ultimate Explorer* 12 months All £39 £38 £29
Family Explorer (1 adult)* 12 months All£95
Family Explorer (2 adults)* 12 months All£120
Three attractions* 12 months 3 £34 £33 £24
One attraction* One day 1 £24 £23 £19

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Essential information

If you're planning a trip to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, there are some important things you need to know including opening times, getting there, parking options and nearby hotels.

Opening times

Attractions Days of the week Opening times Last entry
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Mon - Sun 10.00 - 17.00 16:30
Royal Navy Submarine Museum (winter) Wed - Sun 10:00 - 16:30 16:00
Royal Navy Submarine Museum (summer) Mon - Sun 10.00 - 17.00 16:30
Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower (winter) Wed - Sun 10:00 - 16:30 16:00
Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower (summer) Mon - Sun 10.00 - 17.00 16:30

Getting there

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard sits within Portsmouth Naval Base in the heart of the city of Portsmouth in Hampshire, UK, approximately 1.5 hours by train and 2.5 hours by car from London.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Victory Gate, HM Naval Base
Portsmouth
PO1 3LJ

Portsmouth Harbour train station is just a couple of hundred metres walk to the entrance on Queen Street.

Trains run regularly from London Waterloo with South Western Railway as well as Southampton Central with links to the west of England. Check timetables and ticket prices at Trainline*.

Local and regional buses are available with Hard Interchange the nearest stop to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

If you're planning on driving to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, you'll find it just 5 miles from Junction 12 of the M27. Brown tourist signs showing 'Historic Dockyard' guide you through Portsmouth city centre.

Car parking

There is a wide selection of parking options for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with nearby car parks plus park & ride* options on the outskirts of Portsmouth.

NCP* operates car parks at Cascades and Market Way and JustPark* offers pre-booked on-street parking and off-street car parks across Portsmouth.

Car parking options Address Postcode
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Car Park Admiralty Rd, HM Naval Base PO1 3GW
Gunwharf Underground Car Park 79 Gunwharf Rd PO1 3TZ
Park & Ride Portsmouth Tipner Interchange, M275 J1 PO2 8AN

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Can't find what you're looking for? Find even more savings on days out and attractions.

Kirsten Henton

Kirsten Henton

Kirsten Henton is Weather2Travel.com's editor. Kirsten writes, commissions and edits our travel features, liaising with our contributors and ensuring copy is spick-and-span. A member of the British Guild of Travel Writers, Kirsten also freelances writing articles on travel, history and the outdoors for titles such as Scotland Magazine and BBC Travel.

Updated on Friday 29th March 2024

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