Top Things to do in Hampshire
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The 10 Best History Museums in Hampshire, England
Discover the best top things to do in Hampshire, United Kingdom including Treadgold Industrial Heritage Museum, WW1 Remembrance Centre, Eastleigh Museum, The D-Day Story, Tudor House and Garden, HorsePower: The Museum of The King's Royal Hussars, Westgate Museum, Portsmouth Museum, Army Flying Museum, Eling Tide Mill Experience.
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1. Treadgold Industrial Heritage Museum
2. WW1 Remembrance Centre
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 55 reviews
The WW1 Remembrance Centre has now moved to it's new home Bastion 6 which is at the end of the road past Hilsea Train Station & the car parks of BAE Systems
Reviewed By Motte-and-Bailey - London, United Kingdom
A hidden gem and a great place to visit. I didn't know there was so many interesting artefacts and historical information. The staff/people are very polite and knowledgable. It's lot bigger than you think so if you go allow an hour or so to go around the centre.
3. Eastleigh Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 55 reviews
Interesting museum that chronicles the life of a typical railway engineer and his family during the 1930s.
Reviewed By steve01957 - Chandler’s Ford, United Kingdom
A lovely small museum in the centre of Eastleigh that tells the story of the town and the surrounding area, good cafe and a little shop makes it worth a visit
4. The D-Day Story
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 946 reviews
The D-Day Story tells of the people behind the events of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. It holds over 10,000 items – preserving, researching and acquiring objects to share with the public through exhibitions, workshops and other activities. The museum is fully accredited, meeting nationally agreed standards for UK museums. Following a £5 million transformation project, it has moved from being an military-focused museum to one that tells the personal stories behind the epic day. The museum is also home to the Overlord Embroidery, which tells the story of the operation across 34 hand-stitched panels stretching for a total of 83 metres. The D-Day Story is one of six museums run by Portsmouth Museums, part of Portsmouth City Council. Responsibility for the museums service falls under the remit of the council’s cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Sport.
Reviewed By GeorginaS152 - Windsor, United Kingdom
What a thrill to discover on Trip Adviser the D-Day Story Museum at Portsmouth, but only AFTER our return from the D-Day 75th anniversary cruise aboard CMV’s bijou cruise ship, Marco Polo, with a surprise 24-hour adventure tacked on the end! If we’d only known about this superbly-curated museum in advance, it would have been a ‘must do’. It offers such excellent local background and research, up-to-the minute presentation and, a particular “must-see” the stunning Overlord Embroidery designed by Sandra Lawrence and worked on by 25 embroiderers for four years at the Royal School of Needlework. When we’re back in Portsmouth again in September for a round British Isles cruise on another little ship, Astoria, our top priority is to view the 34 hand-stitched panels of stunning embroidery depicting the story of the D-Day Landings of 1944 at the Museum. The DDay voyage aboard Marco Polo covered a circular route of 880 nautical miles over 7 days and moored at 4 ports thus: Portsmouth -> Antwerp -> Honfleur -> Rouen -> Portsmouth The cruise itinerary was divided between days spent at sea with many on-board activities, and shore days, when passengers were bussed to the nearby D-Day centres of interest thus: 2 June - Marco Polo sailed out of Portsmouth 3 + 4 June in Antwerp with a range of tours to suit all tastes, from small group walking/beer-tasting tours; city tours at Brussels + Ghent + canal trip; an all-day tour of seven and a half hours to Ypres, including a visit to Tyne Cot Cemetery and ending with the moving ceremony of Last Post and Reveille at the Menin Gate Memorial at 8 pm. This famous ceremony has been held each evening without fail since 1926 by volunteers from the local Fire Brigade, except during the German occupation in WWII. 5 June - at Honfleur with tours of the stylish coastal resort of Deauville; the British D-Day beaches and cemeteries at Bayeux; and Ranville cemeteries, and the Pegasus bridge and memorial dedicated to the 6th British Airborne Division, the first liberators who parachuted into Normandy on the night of 5/6 June. 6 June - cruising at sea with talks and films before the poignant service on deck at 11 am, then a sail-by of the D Day beaches before entering the Seine and mooring at Rouen - our final port in France. 6/7 June - Rouen: tours to see Monet’s Garden, a huge tourist attraction but lots of footwork - comfy shoes essential! Or a coach to Paris with a tour and a riverboat ride on the Seine. A long coach tour to the D-Day beaches where the American troops had landed; the vast American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach with the graves of 10,000 American soldiers, killed during the Normandy invasion and subsequent military operations in WWII. All went according to plan until the weather abruptly changed!Tours returning to the ship from Paris, were delayed in heavy traffic. As a result, the ship lost its 8 pm departure slot and eventually sailed out 12 hours later. The good news was that Marco Polo didn’t have to struggle through the Channel in noisy darkness, battered by storm and swell. Instead, departing mid-morning, we sailed briskly in the sunshine through a smoother sea, ‘tho’ quite a few passengers suffered mild sea-sickness. The Captain notified all cabins by letter of the changed arrangements for a revised docking time of 9.30 pm on Saturday in Portsmouth. He told us that if people found the late arrival inconvenient, they were welcome to stay an extra night on board in the same cabin and disembark early on Sunday morning! Drinks packages were extended, we enjoyed the same high quality menus provided with the usual faultless service. The change of arrival time was a sudden shock but the Marco Polo customer care was asseamless and impeccable as ever. We finally disembarked on Sunday morning into a calm and sunny day. What an adventure we’d had, following in the tracks of thousands who’d gone before! The high spot had been the Commemoration service beautifully led by the Cruise Director on deck. He began with an amazing surprise: he read out a beautiful letter just received on board from HM the Queen. Such pride and joy, and not a few tears it created. The muster took some time as all veterans and ex-military had gathered with friends, family and interested observers for whom WWII is an intrinsic part of their own history. Passengers lined the decks above and all blended their own voices with the ship’s company. The most touching moments, which brought many to tears, were when the veterans themselves spoke those words we hear every November after the Last Post has been played followed by the 2 minute silence. A veteran spoke the Exhortation from Laurence Binyon’s “For The Fallen”(1914) “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them.” After the wreaths were laid came the Kohima Epitaph, carved on the memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery of Kohima in North-East India. A second veteran repeated it firmly and proudly, so that all could hear: “When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today.” The wreaths were laid - one in the sea because it was bio-degradable, and two in the swimming pool, which were not. When the service ended, the emotion turned from memories to laughter and pride that another remembrance had been achieved. In her Christmas Day speech last year, HM the Queen said: “We cannot grieve if we did not love.” So true! The abiding feeling after a solemn, thought-provoking service like this one is that of a job well done, a life well-lived, whether brief or long, people remembered with honour, respect and - above all - love. The D-Day story again well told, both on board ship and at the wonderful D-Day Museum, Portsmouth.
5. Tudor House and Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 626 reviews
Tudor House gives a unique and atmospheric insight into the lives and times of both its residents through the years, and of Southampton itself. It appeals to visitors of all ages and interests, who find the family-friendly activities, interactive technology and fascinating displays a winning combination.
Reviewed By MichaelandKaren
At just £5 this is absolutely amazing value for money! Great audio guide and beautiful gardens. Very well preserved and fascinating video about its recent restoration. Lots of information over several centuries and fab interactive displays that turn 360 degrees.Lovely gift shop and very helpful staff especially on the front desk and knowledgeable room guides. A must see place for anyone visiting Southampton and for all ages.
6. HorsePower: The Museum of The King's Royal Hussars
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
7. Westgate Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 124 reviews
Located at the top of the High Street in the historic city of Winchester, Westgate Museum is housed inside a surviving fortified medieval city gateway. The museum tells the story of this remarkable building, and the history of Tudor and Stuart Winchester. It also offers great rooftop city views. A debtors’ prison for 150 years, this beautifully refurbished listed monument is the last of the main medieval gates into the city. Today, Westgate Museum’s displays include a famous collection of pre-imperial weights and measures and a fine painted ceiling made for Winchester College in anticipation of a visit by Mary Tudor and Philip of Spain on the occasion of their marriage in Winchester in 1554. There are plenty of hands-on activities to enjoy during your visit. Try on a replica coat of armour and Tudor costumes and pose for a photograph! Make a brass rubbing to take away and have a go at the Westgate spotter trail. Throughout the year, we run a programme of family friendly activities.
Reviewed By ZD951 - Santiago, Chile
West Gate is a medieval city gate close to The Great Hall a, free museum where you can view the city from the top of the tower. Try on some armor, dress up as a squire. See what life in prison was like in the middle ages.
8. Portsmouth Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 291 reviews
Reviewed By Smasscher - East Sussex, United Kingdom
This is a lovely museum in a lovely building. The exhibits are well laid out, and unlike many other museums, the lighting is good enough that you can actually see them! The gallery on holidaying in the Portsmouth are were interesting and some of them were fun. The Sherlock Holmes exhibition is very good, I never knew there were so many books and how widely the character of Holmes was appreciated around the world. There was an art exhibition on and that was good too. The staff were lovely. The little cafe nice. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. And it is free entry! Amazing. Although we would have been happy to pay.
9. Army Flying Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 451 reviews
We are one of the UK's leading museums for British military aviation history. Boasting 40 fixed wing and rotary aircraft on site, we have fascinating exhibits and a wonderful 'Apache Cafe' looking out over the busy Middle Wallop Army Air Corps airfield.
Reviewed By 942denish
If you want to see helicopters and light aircraft albeit retired ones, and see displays of army flying in history to the present day then this is for you. It needs time to enjoy as there is a lot of detail, so either go solo or accompanied only if your companions are really interested in this sort of history. A very good few hours can be spent at this museum. Plenty of safe parking space in the grounds.
10. Eling Tide Mill Experience
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 95 reviews
The Grade II* listed Eling Tide Mill, which has stood at the centre of life in Eling for centuries, is one of only a handful of working tide mills left in the UK. The Eling Tide Mill, its gift shop, adjacent Visitor Centre, Mill Café and the surrounding riverside walks, combine to form The Eling Tide Mill Experience. Visitors can step back in time and enjoy learning about the workings of the newly restored mill and discover how the tide is harnessed to power the centuries old machinery. The mills fascinating story and history continues in the Discovery Room where interactive displays include opportunities for visitors of all ages to get hands on with quern stones and a working model of a tide mill. Wholemeal and brown flour, freshly milled on site, is available to buy in the mills gift shop or can be enjoyed in some of our breads and cakes in Mill Café along with lots of other delicious menu cakes in Mill Café along with lots of other delicious menu choices.
Reviewed By Dcvhbd55
Very good to visit upgraded / refreshed 2 years ago and now very easy to see the inner workings of a tide mill . Nice cafe and free parking too. Check to see opening times and days before you visit.
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