List of museums in Hampshire facts for kids

Hampshire, a county in England, is home to many exciting museums! These places are like treasure chests, collecting and looking after amazing objects that teach us about history, art, science, and culture. They let everyone see these cool collections and learn new things. This list will help you discover some of the best museums and art galleries in Hampshire.

Discover Hampshire's Amazing Museums

Hampshire has a fantastic variety of museums, from ancient Roman villas to modern art galleries and places dedicated to cars or military history. Get ready to explore!

Military and History Museums

These museums tell stories of brave soldiers, important battles, and how people lived in the past.

Aldershot Military Museum

Located in Aldershot, this museum shares the history of the British Army in the town. You can learn about the soldiers who trained and lived there.

Army Physical Training Corps Museum

Also in Aldershot, this museum shows photos, military items, and gym equipment used by the Army Physical Training Corps. They were in charge of keeping soldiers fit!

The D-Day Story

Found in Southsea, this museum tells the incredible story of D-Day, when Allied forces landed in Normandy during World War II. It features the famous Overlord Embroidery.

Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower

In Gosport, this museum explores the history of naval weapons, from early gunpowder to modern firepower. It's all about how ships fought at sea.

Fort Brockhurst

This mid-19th-century fort in Gosport is managed by English Heritage. It displays stonework, textiles, jewellery, and furniture from different time periods.

Fort Nelson

Near Boarhunt, this 1860s fort is home to the Royal Armouries' amazing collection of artillery (big guns!).

The Gurkha Museum

In Winchester, this museum celebrates the history and service of the Gurkha soldiers to the British crown. It's part of Winchester's Military Museums.

HorsePower: The Museum of the King's Royal Hussars

Also in Winchester, this museum covers the history and items of the King's Royal Hussars regiment. It's another part of Winchester's Military Museums.

Hurst Castle

Located in Milford on Sea, this castle was built by Henry VIII. It has a lighthouse museum, World War II coastal gun batteries, and military exhibits.

Museum of Army Flying

Near Stockbridge, this museum tells the story of flying in the British Army, from early balloons to modern helicopters.

Museum of the Adjutant General's Corps

In Winchester, this museum showcases the history and items of the Adjutant General's Corps, another part of Winchester's Military Museums.

Portchester Castle

This medieval castle and former Roman fort in Portchester is managed by English Heritage. It has exhibits about its long history and recovered artefacts.

Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum

In Winchester, this museum focuses on the history and items of the Royal Green Jackets regiment. It's part of Winchester's Military Museums.

Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum

Another museum in Winchester's Military Museums, this one tells the story of the Royal Hampshire Regiment.

Royal Marines Museum

Located in Portsmouth, this museum explores the rich history of the Royal Marines, a famous part of the British military.

Royal Military Police Museum

In Southwick, this museum covers the history of the Royal Military Police. You need to book an appointment to visit.

Royal Navy Submarine Museum

Found in Gosport, this museum explores the international history of submarine development, showing how these underwater vessels have changed over time.

Southsea Castle

This castle in Portsmouth is another one of Henry VIII's coastal forts, built to protect the country.

Southwick House

Located in Southwick, this house was a very important place for planning the D-Day operations during World War II. You can visit by appointment.

Westgate Museum

This fortified medieval gateway to Winchester was once a prison. It now displays a collection of old weights and measures.

Winchester's Military Museums

This is a group of five independent museums in Winchester, including those for the King's Royal Hussars, Royal Hampshire Regiment, Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, The Gurkha Museum, and Adjutant General's Corps.

Art and Culture Galleries

These places celebrate creativity, showing beautiful paintings, sculptures, and other artistic works.

Allen Gallery

In Alton, this gallery has a wonderful collection of ceramics, including English, European, and Asian pottery, porcelain, and tiles.

ArtSway

Located in Sway, this is a centre for contemporary visual art, showcasing modern and exciting artworks.

Aspex Gallery

Found in Portsmouth's Gunwharf Quays, this is another contemporary art gallery, featuring new and interesting art.

Bargate Monument Gallery

This gallery in Southampton is a contemporary art space, often hosting unique exhibitions.

Flora Twort Gallery

In Petersfield, this gallery displays works by local artist Flora Twort, historic costumes, and changing exhibits of local art.

Furzey Gardens

In Minstead, this place offers beautiful gardens and an art gallery, along with a restored 16th-century thatched cottage.

John Hansard Gallery

Part of the University of Southampton, this gallery in Southampton focuses on contemporary visual art.

Southampton City Art Gallery

This gallery in Southampton has a large collection covering six centuries of European art history.

Sandham Memorial Chapel

Managed by the National Trust, this chapel in Burghclere features large paintings by artist Stanley Spencer, showing his experiences in World War I.

Historic Houses and Living History

Step back in time in these houses and recreated villages!

Basing House

In Old Basing, you can explore the remains of a Tudor palace. The museum here tells you about the archaeology of the house, Tudor life, and the Civil War.

Beaulieu Palace House

This historic house in Beaulieu was once the Great Gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey. It has Victorian additions and lovely gardens.

Breamore House

This Elizabethan manor house in Breamore is famous for its paintings and furniture. It also has the Breamore Countryside Museum with old shops, homes, and steam-powered farm machinery.

Buckler's Hard

This 18th-century Georgian village in Bucklers Hard is an open-air museum. It includes a maritime museum, historic cottage displays, and stories about shipbuilding and Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum

In Portsmouth, you can visit the 1809 house where the famous author Charles Dickens was born.

Chawton House

This restored Elizabethan manor house in Chawton was home to author Jane Austen's brother. It now houses a library focused on early English women's writing.

Gilbert White's House

In Selborne, this is the home and garden of 18th-century naturalist Gilbert White. It also features the Oates Collections, about explorers Lawrence Oates and Frank Oates.

Highclere Castle

Near Newbury, this large Elizabethan country house has a park designed by Capability Brown. It also displays Egyptian artefacts from the 5th Earl of Carnarvon.

Hinton Ampner

Managed by the National Trust, this country house in Bramdean is known for its beautiful early 20th-century gardens and collections of Georgian and Regency furniture.

Jane Austen's House Museum

This 17th-century house in Chawton is where author Jane Austen wrote some of her most famous novels, like Mansfield Park and Emma.

Little Woodham

In Rowner, this is a recreated rural village from the mid-17th century, offering a glimpse into life back then.

Manor Farm Country Park

In Bursledon, this is a Victorian period farmstead with a schoolroom, wheelwright's shop, blacksmith's forge, and a 13th-century church.

Medieval Merchant's House

Managed by English Heritage in Southampton, this is a 14th-century merchant's house, showing how people lived and worked long ago.

Milestones Museum

In Basingstoke, this museum has recreated Victorian and 1930s streets and shops, a farm, old vehicles, and steam equipment.

Mottisfont Abbey

Managed by the National Trust, this site in Mottisfont includes the remains of a 13th-century priory, a collection of 20th-century art, and beautiful gardens.

Stansted House

Located near Rowland's Castle on the Hampshire/West Sussex border, this is an early 20th-century Edwardian country house with a chapel.

Stratfield Saye House

This historic estate house in Stratfield Saye has been home to the Dukes of Wellington since 1817. It features paintings, furniture, and military items related to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.

Tudor House and Garden

In Southampton, this Tudor-style house dates back to the 12th century, offering a fascinating look at different historical periods.

The Vyne

Managed by the National Trust in Sherborne St John, this 16th-century country house has a mix of furniture, portraits, textiles, and sculptures from over three centuries, plus lovely gardens.

Winchester Castle

In Winchester, you can visit the Great Hall of the castle, a 13th-century hall that features the famous medieval round table.

Science, Technology, and Transportation Museums

Discover how things work, from old machines to amazing vehicles!

Bursledon Brickworks Museum

In Swanwick, this Victorian brickworks has a working steam engine and machinery, showing how bricks were made long ago.

Bursledon Windmill

This early 19th-century windmill in Bursledon shows how wind power was used to grind grain.

Eastney Beam Engine House

In Portsmouth, this Victorian sewage pumping house has two huge 150-horsepower beam engines, showing amazing old technology.

Eling Tide Mill

This watermill in Eling dates back to the Middle Ages and is powered by the ocean's tides.

Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Museum

In Farnborough, this museum has historic aircraft, jet engines, and helicopter parts. You can even see demonstrations of a working wind tunnel!

Gliding Heritage Centre

Located at Lasham Airfield, this museum has a collection of 42 vintage gliders. You can take tours on Sundays.

Hollycombe Steam Collection

In Liphook, this collection features steam-powered vehicles, old fairground rides, a display farm, and three railways.

Hovercraft Museum

In Lee-on-the-Solent, this unique museum is dedicated to hovercraft vehicles, showing their history and different designs.

National Motor Museum

Part of the Beaulieu estate, this museum has an amazing collection of automobiles, motorcycles, and motoring history. It also features the World of Top Gear and the James Bond Experience.

Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum

In New Milton, this museum displays beautifully restored motorcycles.

Solent Sky

In Southampton, this museum tells the story of aviation in the Solent area and Hampshire, with a special focus on the Supermarine aircraft company.

Twyford Waterworks

This former pumping station in Twyford has working steam engines, a narrow-gauge railway, and other equipment that shows how water was supplied in the past.

Whitchurch Silk Mill

In Whitchurch, this former textile mill has a waterwheel and shows how silk was made.

Winchester City Mill

Managed by the National Trust in Winchester, this is a restored water mill that still grinds flour.

Winchester Science Centre

In Winchester, this is a hands-on, interactive science and technology centre with a planetarium, perfect for exploring scientific ideas.

Local History and Archaeology Museums

Learn about the places you live in and the ancient people who lived there before!

Andover Museum and Museum of the Iron Age

In Andover, this museum covers local history, natural history, archaeology, and art.

Butser Ancient Farm

Near Petersfield, this is a working replica of an Iron Age farmstead, complete with simulated pre-Roman roundhouses and a Roman villa.

Curtis Museum

In Alton, this museum explores local history, prehistoric tools, Roman and Saxon history, and old toys.

Cumberland House Natural History Museum

Also known as Portsmouth Natural History Museum in Southsea, it shows wildlife from local rivers, marshes, woods, and urban areas. It also has geology displays and a seasonal butterfly house.

Emsworth Museum

In Emsworth, this museum focuses on local history, maritime heritage, and culture, including information about author P.G. Wodehouse.

Fordingbridge Museum

In Fordingbridge, this museum covers local history, culture, and the artist Augustus John.

Gosport Discovery Centre

In Gosport, this centre includes a local library and a museum with exhibits on local history, geology, maritime, and military heritage.

Museum of the Iron Age

In Andover, this museum displays artefacts and recreations from the Danbury hill fort, teaching about the Iron Age.

New Forest Centre

In Lyndhurst, this centre includes the New Forest Museum, which has exhibits about the New Forest Park's local history, natural history, culture, geology, and forestry.

Petersfield Museum

In Petersfield, this museum focuses on local history and culture of the area.

Portsmouth City Museum

In Portsmouth, this museum covers local history, culture, period rooms, the life of author Arthur Conan Doyle (who created Sherlock Holmes), and fine arts.

Rockbourne Roman Villa and Museum

In Rockbourne, you can explore an excavated Roman villa and a museum with recovered artefacts from Roman times.

SeaCity Museum

In Southampton, this museum covers local history, archaeology, and has a permanent exhibition about the famous ship Titanic.

The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre

In Havant, this is an arts centre that also has exhibits on local history and culture.

St. Barbe Museum & Art Gallery

In Lymington, this museum explores local and coastal maritime history, including stories of smugglers, salt makers, and boat builders. It also has an art gallery.

Totton and Eling Heritage Centre

In Eling, this centre focuses on the local history and culture of the area.

Westbury Manor Museum

In Fareham, this museum tells the story of local history and culture.

Willis Museum

In Basingstoke, this museum covers local history and has an art gallery.

Winchester City Museum

In Winchester, this museum explores local history, archaeology, and has reconstructed Victorian and Edwardian shops.

Winchester Discovery Centre

In Winchester, this is the city's library, which also features galleries for local history, culture, and art.

Multiple Attractions

These places offer a mix of different experiences, often combining history, nature, and more!

Beaulieu

In Beaulieu, this large estate includes admission to Beaulieu Abbey, Beaulieu Palace House, the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, the James Bond Experience, a Secret Army Exhibition, and beautiful gardens.

Hollycombe Steam Collection

In Liphook, this collection features steam-powered vehicles, old fairground rides, a display farm, and three railways.

New Forest Centre

In Lyndhurst, this centre includes the New Forest Museum with exhibits about the New Forest Park local history, natural history, culture, geology, forestry, and the New Forest Gallery.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

In Portsmouth, this amazing site includes the National Museum of the Royal Navy Portsmouth, the famous ships HMS Victory and HMS Warrior (1860), the Mary Rose Museum, and other exciting exhibitions about naval history.

SeaCity Museum

In Southampton, this museum covers local history, archaeology, and has a permanent exhibition about the famous ship Titanic.

The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre

In Havant, this is an arts centre that also has local history and culture exhibits.

St. Barbe Museum & Art Gallery

In Lymington, this museum explores local and coastal maritime history, including stories of smugglers, salt makers, and boat builders. It also has an art gallery.

Religious Sites with Collections

These places of worship also hold important historical and artistic collections.

Beaulieu Abbey

In Beaulieu, you can see the remains and artefacts from this 13th-century Cistercian abbey.

Genesis Expo

In Portsmouth, this display focuses on creation science, featuring dinosaurs and dioramas.

Winchester Cathedral

In Winchester, this grand cathedral includes historic bibles, art, and other important artefacts.

Defunct Museums

Some museums in Hampshire have closed over time. These include:

• Eastleigh Museum, Eastleigh (closed in 2022)
• The Bear Museum, Petersfield (closed in 2006)
• God's House Tower Museum Of Archaeology, Southampton (closed in 2011)
• Ringwood Town & Country Experience, Ringwood (closed indefinitely)
• The Wool House, Southampton (closed in 2012)

See also

• Category:Tourist attractions in Hampshire