National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth facts for kids

The National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom

The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth is an exciting museum that tells the amazing story of the Royal Navy. It's located in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth, England. This museum is part of a larger group called the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Many people visit each year, with over a million visitors in 2017.

Discovering the Museum's Past

The museum first opened its doors in 1911. Back then, it was known as the Dockyard Museum. A man named Mr. Mark Edwin Pescott-Frost had the idea to create it. He was the secretary to the Admiral Superintendent in Portsmouth.

Mr. Pescott-Frost loved naval history. He worked hard to save important items for future generations. His efforts led to the museum opening and kept many interesting artifacts safe. Some of these items are still on display today! He even received an award in 1916 for his great work.

How the Museum's Name Changed

In 1985, the museum became more independent from the Ministry of Defence. Its name changed to the "Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth." This allowed it to receive special funding to help it grow.

Later, in 2008, a new organization called the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) was created. Its goal was to better connect all naval heritage sites. Because of this, in 2010, the museum in Portsmouth officially joined the NMRN. It then changed its name to "National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth."

Exploring the Museum's Buildings and Exhibits

The museum is made up of three main buildings. They are located right across from the famous ship, HMS Victory. Two of these buildings, No. 11 Storehouse (built in 1763) and No. 10 Storehouse (built in 1776), are very old and important. The Victory Gallery is a newer building, built in 1938, specifically for museum displays.

You can also visit HMS M33, a special warship from World War I. This ship, called a Monitor, opened to the public in 2015. That year marked 100 years since it was built!

What You Can See Inside

• No. 11 Storehouse shows many exhibits about the "Age of Sail." This was a time when large sailing ships ruled the seas.
• No. 10 Storehouse reopened in 2014 as the Babcock Galleries. It has a new exhibit about the Navy in the 20th and 21st centuries. It also holds the Trafalgar Sail, which is a huge sail from HMS Victory. It's thought to be the largest original item left from the Battle of Trafalgar. A new glass area connects these two historic buildings.
• The Victory Gallery tells the story of HMS Victory. It shares what life was like for the people who lived, worked, and fought on board.
• The Nelson Gallery focuses on the life of Horatio, Viscount Nelson. He was a very famous British admiral.
• The Sailing Navy Gallery teaches you about daily life at sea during the time of sailing ships.
• The HMS Hear My Story exhibit shares "undiscovered stories." These are tales from the ordinary men, women, and ships that shaped the Navy's history over the last 100 years.

See also

In Spanish: Museo Nacional de la Marina Real británica para niños

• Figureheads Collection Project: National Museum of the Royal Navy