Portsmouth Historic Dockyard facts for kids
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a special part of HM Naval Base Portsmouth that is open to everyone. It is home to many amazing old ships and historic buildings. The National Museum of the Royal Navy helps manage this area. They work with five different groups to keep these attractions safe and interesting for visitors. These groups include the Mary Rose Trust and the HMS Victory Preservation Company.
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The National Museum of the Royal Navy first opened its doors in Portsmouth in 1911. Over time, it grew much bigger. It now includes other important museums. These are places like the Royal Marines Museum and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum.
Amazing Ships to Explore
Many famous ships and historic vessels are on display at the dockyard. You can step aboard and learn about their past.
HMS Victory: Nelson's Flagship
HMS Victory was the main ship of Admiral Horatio Nelson. She was his flagship during the famous Battle of Trafalgar. This battle happened in 1805. You can visit HMS Victory, and she has been open to the public for almost 200 years. She has been in her special dry dock since 1922.
HMS Warrior: The Iron Warship
HMS Warrior was a groundbreaking ship. When she was launched in 1860, she was the world's first warship. She was covered in armor and made of iron. HMS Warrior opened to visitors in 1987.
HMS M33: A World War I Monitor
HMS M33 is a unique ship from the First World War. She is a type of warship called a monitor. Monitors were used to support land attacks. HMS M33 opened for public visits on August 7, 2015.
The Mary Rose: A Tudor Mystery
The remains of the Mary Rose are also here. She was a warship from the Tudor navy that sank in 1545. Divers found her in 1982. About one-third of her hull still survives. You can see her in a special museum that opened in May 2013. The museum also shows thousands of items found with the ship.
Coastal Motor Boat 4: A Heroic Torpedo Boat
Coastal Boat 4 is a small, fast torpedo boat from the First World War. This boat was used by Lieutenant Augustus Agar. He earned a very brave medal for sinking a Russian ship in 1919.
Museums and Collections
The National Museum of the Royal Navy has many original naval items. These include one of the actual sails from the Battle of Trafalgar. The museum also has an interactive gallery. It is called The Trafalgar Experience. This walk-through display tells the story of the Battle of Trafalgar. It ends with a huge painting by William Lionel Wyllie.
The Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust helps look after the historic buildings. They work to keep these old buildings in good condition. The Trust also started the Memorial Flotilla. This is a collection of small boats. These boats were used in conflicts from the late 1800s and 1900s. The Trust also runs a college. It teaches traditional boat building skills. Many volunteers help restore and operate the Trust's historic boats.
