Join Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for a fun-filled half term with hands-on craft activities, the last chance to be transported to the seabed in a fascinating interactive exhibition and Tales of Three Ships storytelling that will keep all the family entertained.
On 23rd October from 12 pm to 4 pm, Red Sauce Theatre presents a special Halloween performance, a tale about a tail, one that was owned by a mystery ship’s cat.
‘The Mysterious Tale of a Ship’s Cat’ is a family-friendly adventure, and one that demands some audience participation. The performances will be held in the Victory Gallery and is available at no extra cost to ticket holders.
The Mary Rose Museum also has a series of crafty half-term events, for those younger ones less eager on the horror of Halloween. From the 25th to the 29th of October, there are arts and crafts projects every day, from building your own Tudor warship to making your own Tudor clay tile.
New this month at Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower is The Night Hunters: The Royal Navy’s Coastal Forces at War, a major new permanent gallery celebrating a lesser-known navy division of largely young men undertaking deadly operations, at high speed and often under darkness, to defend the English Channel and the North Sea.
The half term also marks the last chance for visitors to experience the Diving Deep exhibition, free to any ticket holder. The exhibition showcases the extraordinary story of the discovery and excavation of HMS Invincible, the captured French ship that became the model for many Royal Navy ships of the line. To help visitors gain an even deeper insight they can listen to talks from the divers who helped uncover it, and meet those who put the exhibition together.
The “HMS Victory: The Nation’s Flagship” exhibition in the Victory Gallery also has a brand-new item in its collection. A farthing placed for good luck under the mast of HMS Victory in the Victorian period makes its debut at the exhibition, a rare and exciting piece not seen since it was originally placed there over a century ago.
Younger adventurers will love the Horrible Histories Pirates exhibition. Learn about some of their most infamous and their gory tricks of the trade. Better yet, become a real pirate, and make good use of the ships and their air cannons. Half term marks the last chance to see the exhibition, so make sure you learn all you can about these sea-faring scoundrels.
As one of the UK’s leading visitor attractions, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, based on the coast of Portsmouth welcomes in excess of 850,000 visitors per year. It is the UK’s premier destination for naval and maritime history and is the home to iconic ships HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose. The best value Ultimate Explorer Ticket means families can visit as much as they like over the year, with full access to all attractions including the Harbour Tour. Its water bus service, included in the ticket price, connects it with the Royal Navy Submarine Museum and Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower in Gosport, meaning visitors to the site can access all attractions for one ticket.
Entry to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard starts from £39 per adult and £29 per child for an Ultimate Explorer Ticket which gives entry to all 11 attractions including Explosion Museum and Night Hunters, HMS Victory, the Mary Rose Museum and HMS Warrior. It is valid for multiple entries throughout the year, with family tickets available. Book online at www.historicdockyard.co.uk
