iTravelUK > Attractions > Museums > England > Southeast > Hampshire
Westgate Museum
Lying close to Winchester's Great Hall, the Westgate Museum is one of the surviving gateways in Winchester. First constructed in the 12th century, Westgate was developed in the 13th and 14th centuries. You'll see the portcullis, two gun ports and the famous painted ceiling of 1554. A work by Winchester College, it was designed to commemorate the marriage of Queen Mary I and Philip of Spain in Winchester. On display are a rare set of pre-imperial weights and measures. In the upper chamber, you'll also notice graffiti on the walls. This spans some two hundred years between the 16th and 18th centuries when Westgate was used as a prison. You can also access the roof.
Intech
Intech is an award-winning science and technology museum with over 100 hands-on exhibits. Intech focuses largely on interactive displays which engage and educate. On your visit, you can create a tornado or a vortex or find out how Newton's Cradle works and watch a super-size one in action!
The Gurkha Museum
The Gurkha Museum at Winchester details the history of the Gurkha's military service. Ever since 1815, the Gurkha's who originally hail from Nepal, have volunteered to join the British cause. The Gurkha Museum brings this dramatic history to life in a celebration of both their service and their courage.
Light Infantry Museum
A modern regiment, the Light Infantry was only formed in 1968 although its roots date to 1685. The Light Infantry is one of the most advanced operational units in the British army which has been at the forefront of the action in Northern Ireland and Iraq.
The Royal Green Jackets Museum
The Royal Green Jackets Museum was one of the first regimental museums to open in Britain. Attractions include firing a replica Baker Rifle on the electronic range and Andy McNab's prisoner of war uniform. Captured during active service in the Gulf War, Sergeant Andy McNab was the most highly decorated in service of the British Army when he left in 1993. Also on display is a diorama of Waterloo, medals, swords and other related memorabilia.
The Adjutant General's Corps Museum
This museum presents a different insight into the army and how it operates. The Adjutant General's Corps Museum focuses on issues such as corrective training, military policing and the more urbane tasks of pay and administration. On your visit, you can also expect to find out more about the role of women, law and education in Britain's army.
The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum
The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum has four exhibition rooms detailing the adventures of the regiment's active service in Afghanistan, China, India, the World Wars and plenty more. On display are life-size models in complete uniform, medals, decorations and a collection of photographs.
D-Day Museum
The D-Day Museum in Southsea is dedicated to the momentous Overlord Operation of WWII. It involved some 3 million troops and was the largest seaborne invasion in history. Twelve Allied nations crossed the English Channel to invade Normandy in a battle which would take two months before success in capturing the territory. It was this operation which caused the fall of Paris and the liberation of Europe. The D-Day Museum's pride of joy is the Overlord Embroidery. A similar tribute to the Bayeux Tapestry, the Overlord Embroidery is composed of 34 panels which depict the Blitz, wartime production, planning for attack and the invasion. The work was commission by Lord Dulverton and made by the Royal School of Needlework. It is 82 metres in length and took 20 embroiderers five years to complete. In the D-Day Museum you'll also be able to witness archive film footage, eye witness accounts, factory life and a local section, 'Portsmouth Memories' dedicated to the locals and the part they played at this historic time.
Royal Marines Museum
The Royal Marines Museum is housed in a stately Officer's Mess which was built in the 1860's. The history of the Royal Marines dates to 1664 when the first Marine Regiment was created. On your tour you'll see one of the largest medal collections in the world, the Mountbatten Room an opulent dining hall seemingly funded by the slip of an officer's pen and the Eastney Fort East, a Victorian coastal artillery fort. You'll also discover more about the marines in action in the World Wars, Falklands, Afghanistan, Iraq and how one determined woman, Hannah Snell deceived them all and obtained her wish to serve as a marine in an age when women had no part in the armed forces.
Portsmouth City Museum
This museum features the living history of Portsmouth with a 17th century bedchamber, a 19th century dockyard worker's kitchen, a Victorian parlour, a 1930's kitchen and dining room, and a 1950's living room. There's also a "Portsmouth at Play" gallery which focuses on the development of Southsea as a leisure resort. Changing exhibitions range from photography and fine art to technology.
Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum
The house in which Charles Dickens was born in 1812. This is the first home which newly wed John and Elizabeth Dickens rented in Portsmouth. Three rooms in the museum have been refurbished in the Regency style which was fashionable amongst their class at the time. You'll see the parlour, dining room and the bedroom in which Charles Dickens was born. An exhibition room features Charles Dickens and Portsmouth and also displays artefacts which formerly belonged to this popular author.
The Historic Dockyard of the Royal Naval Base
Winner of the UK Large Visitor Attraction Award in 2005, the Historic Dockyard is Portsmouth's premier tourist attraction. Attractions here include the Mary Rose - a 16th century warship, the HMS Victory - the flagship in the Battle of Trafalgar and HMS Warrior - the first iron hulled battleship in the world.