Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower

03/01/2023

Don't let train issues derail your visit this January!

Take advantage of the free parking available and listen as the story of naval warfare is told in dramatic style at Explosion.

Our interactive museum, housed in the Royal Navy’s former Ordnance Depot at Priddy’s Hard, is centred around the powder magazine designed in 1771.

And if you fancy a trip over to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, your Ultimate Explorer ticket also includes the use of the Waterbus* A quick trip over the water gives you access to all of the Dockyard attractions too!

*Please be aware the waterbus only runs at weekends and school holidays during winter and is subject to weather conditions.

http://bit.ly/3Gdtjt3

01/01/2023

Happy New Year from all of us at the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower!

Make 2023 the year of adventure, exploration and learning. We have everything you need for an incredible day out!

Click here for our opening times and to buy your ticket 👉 https://bit.ly/3Vk0Pn0

28/12/2022

Need to walk off some mince pies? Would certain members of the family benefit from burning off post-Christmas energy? 🤭

We are open and can't wait to welcome you!

For more details on opening times please click here👉 http://bit.ly/3Vk0Pn0

26/12/2022

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas from the team at Explosion Museum🎄

For details on getting here and opening times, please click here👉 http://bit.ly/3Vk0Pn0

24/11/2022

We've got some planned work to carry out on our website tonight, so tickets can't be purchased after 8pm. You'll still be able to buy onsite as usual tomorrow.

27/09/2022

We are currently experiencing technical issues with our telephone lines and online ticketing platform. We are working hard behind the scenes to restore them but please email [email protected] with any urgent queries.

09/09/2022

As a mark of respect, all our sites will be closed to visitors tomorrow as we join the rest of the country and the world in reflecting on Her Majesty The Queen's incredible contribution and enduring legacy.

A message from our Chairman and Director General:

15/08/2022

Timeline photos

🎂 Happy Birthday Princess Royal 🎂

Here Princess Anne is pictured meeting naval personnel on a visit to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2017.

01/08/2022

Timeline photos

1861 HMS Warrior was commissioned - 161 years ago. She was one of the world’s most heavily armoured and largest warships ever constructed. Her innovative design sparked a naval arms race which soon saw her become outdated and decommissioned in 1883.

27/07/2022

Carrier_Experience_Trailer_v04.mp4

Good Luck to the Fleet Air Arm Museum - the new carrier experience opens today!

07/07/2022

Timeline photos

Chocolate has been the saviour of many of us over the years and, it would seem, none more so than the crews of the Coastal Forces boats of World War Two.

Les Parkinson, the Motor Mechanic of Rescue Motor Launch 497, was based at Felixstowe in early 1945 and wrote in his memoir:

'The worst thing was that when the weather was bad we couldn't cook our meals, so we had to live on sandwiches of toast, ham, spam or corned beef. The cook did his best, but at times the odds were against him to provide hot meals, so we had to make do. For warmth we drank a lot of cocoa, made from slabs of cocoa chocolate, Carnation evaporated milk, and brown sugar. At least it was sweet and hot.'

04/07/2022

Timeline photos

🎈Happy 80th Birthday Rescue Motor Launch, RML 497 🎈

Built for the Second World War and in service July 1942, this is not the first time her birthday has been celebrated: in his memoir, the boat’s Motor Mechanic recorded that the crew celebrated her 2nd birthday in July with a large cake with Happy Birthday 497 written on it! 🎂

01/07/2022

Timeline photos

the barrel of an Ordnance BL 15-inch howitzer was elevated by gunners of a Royal Marine Artillery detachment of the Naval Brigade. It is prepared for firing during the Battle of Albert, Somme, Picardy, France, 1 July 1916.

29/06/2022

Further to the earlier update, we'll be open again from tomorrow on our normal opening hours. Thank you for your patience, please make sure you're following us on social to get all the latest updates.

29/06/2022

We are sorry, today 29 June 2022, Explosion Museum has closed early due to unforeseen circumstances.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Submarine Museum remain open.
Please follow our social channels for updates.

16/06/2022

Home

We are really excited to share our new website with you today 👨‍💻

We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and have listened to your feedback to improve the experience.

This is the first phase and we will be adding to it as we go, so don’t panic if you can’t find what you’re looking for – it’s on its way!

👉 www.nmrn.org.uk

11/06/2022

🎂 Happy Birthday to Her Majesty The Queen 🎂

09/06/2022

Timeline photos

We're sharing big news on day... the National Museum of the Royal Navy is opening the new Collections Access Service at its museums in Portsmouth and Yeovilton!

Find out more and book an appointment: www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2747

06/06/2022

D-Day Map

D-Day Map

02/06/2022

Timeline photos

🔥 Didn't get a ticket to a Platinum Jubilee Beacon Lighting event? 🔥
We've got you! Watch online as we join in the official celebrations from 8-10pm today with a live stream direct from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Full details: https://fb.me/e/2AYy5xrP7

02/06/2022

Timeline photos

🎉 Congratulations to Her Majesty The Queen on her Platinum Jubilee 🎉

70 years at the heart of the Royal Navy family - granddaughter, daughter, wife & mother of naval officers.

Tonight we join official ceremonies by lighting a beacon at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

19/05/2022

Timeline photos

Join us at 3pm today for the Falklands 40 Museums discussion on National Army Museum's YouTube channel.

👀 Watch online: youtu.be/9HmE-5yvUgA


The Royal Air Force Museum - RAFM, RAF Museum

05/05/2022

Today we're a local Polling Station in Gosport for the Hampshire Elections!

🐶🐾 Please share your pictures with us - this is Jack who joined us this morning, at the grand age of 14, to vote! 🐾🐶

21/04/2022

🎈Wishing Her Majesty The Queen a very Happy 96th Birthday today! 🎈

17/04/2022

We are sorry to say that due to the continued impact of covid, Explosion Museum has been forced to close on Sunday 17 April 2022.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Submarine Museum remains open.

16/04/2022

We are sorry to say that due to the continued impact of covid, Explosion Museum has been forced to close on Saturday 16 April 2022 and Sunday 17 April 2022.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Submarine Museum remains open.

15/04/2022

We are sorry to say that due to the continued impact of covid, Explosion Museum has been forced to close on Saturday 16 April 2022 and Sunday 17 April 2022.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Submarine Museum remains open.

14/04/2022

Timeline photos

🎬 We're excited for the release of Warner Bros. Pictures new film Operation Mincemeat starring Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden and Jason Isaacs tomorrow! 🎬

In today's blog we look at some of the history behind HMS Seraph's operations...
www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2719

09/04/2022

Today marks a year since the passing of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and we commemorate his incredible Royal Navy career, his armed forces and charity connections, and in particular his generous patronage, support and involvement with the National Museum of the Royal Navy's museums.

05/04/2022

Timeline photos

Due to the complicated nature and geographical challenges of the Falklands conflict, both sides utilised their equivalent navy, army, air force, marines and special forces.

In today's blog we take a look at some of the key figures...
www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2711

04/04/2022

Timeline photos

For some of us, the Falklands is in living memory, but as with all history there will be people without direct associations.

With this in mind, we’ve taken key moments and related it to wider cultural events in today's blog post...

www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2709

03/04/2022

Timeline photos

Why did the Falklands conflict happen?

Discover an overview of the history and events that resulted in the 1982 conflict in today's blog...
www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2708

03/04/2022

Timeline photos

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict.
Over the next week we'll be sharing a series of blogs that explain different parts of the history.

The first blog is a general overview outlining what happened...
www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2707

29/03/2022

Remembering The Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021

Remembering The Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021

28/03/2022

🎬WIN tickets to the UK premiere of Operation Mincemeat🎬

Head to the post below to enter.

🎬WIN tickets to the UK premiere of star-studded Operation Mincemeat🎬

Based on Ben Macintyre's best-selling book, the film tells the extraordinary and true story of a mission in the Second World War undertaken to outwit the Germans.

⭐The National Museum of the Royal Navy, that holds some of the real artefacts from the operation, has teamed up with Warner Bros. Pictures to offer two tickets to the UK Premiere of Operation Mincemeat, starring Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden and Jason Isaacs.⭐

All you have to do for the chance to win is...
Follow us and tag in the comments who your plus one would be.

Over 18 entry only. Closes Midnight 3 April 2022. Travel not included. Must be able to attend event in London on 12 April. T&Cs apply: www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2703

17/03/2022

We're joining other government and cultural UK institutions in support of Ukraine and its people. On the 19 March 2022 we are undertaking a day of public fundraising across our sites in Portsmouth, Gosport, Hartlepool and Somerset, for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).

The people of Ukraine remain in our thoughts as does the crucial role our Royal Naval service personnel play in international defence operations.

17/03/2022

Death_of_Nelson.mp4

Death_of_Nelson.mp4

11/03/2022

Timeline photos

- Read about Compass in today's blog. Compass, the Royal Navy’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Network, offers a safe space and support to any personnel who may identify as LGBTQ+.

www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2683

08/03/2022

On International Women's Day we take a look at some of the gaps in history and woman carving the way in the Royal Navy in our latest blog...

https://www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2677

On International Women's Day we take a look at some of the gaps in history and woman carving the way in the Royal Navy in our latest blog...

https://www.nmrn.org.uk/node/2677

06/03/2022

Due to unforeseen circumstances we have made the decision to temporarily close the Explosion Museum today.
All other attractions remain open as normal.
Please keep an eye on our social channels for further updates.