Open today: 10:00am - 5:30pm

Museum highlights

Make the most of your day at the Mary Rose Museum! Here’s our top 8 must-see exhibits and objects.

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Dive the Mary Rose 4D

Dive into the untold story of the finding, excavation, and recovery of the Mary Rose in our new multi-sensory 4D cinema, narrated by Ross Kemp.

Hear stories of the people who dived on the ship, from the Tudor divers of 1545, to the 20th-century search pioneered by Alexander McKee and his team of volunteers, as well as the ground-breaking maritime archaeology led by Margaret Rule. Then join the divers as they discover the first timbers of the Mary Rose, excavate the 34m-long shipwreck, recover her treasures, and return our Tudor warship to the surface for the first time in 437 years. This is all brought to life with a combination of archive footage and CGI, as well as multi-sensory features including sounds, smells, bubbles, wind, and movement.

Dive 4D
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The ship

You can’t visit the Mary Rose Museum without seeing panoramic views of the Mary Rose itself – the Museum was designed in such a way that you see a different view of the ship wherever you are.

Make sure you head up to the Upper Deck viewing gallery to take in the whole ship, and even experience the smell of the ship’s timbers!

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Hatch, the ship’s dog

Even in the Tudor period, a man’s best friend was his dog. Visit the ship’s dog, nicknamed Hatch by our team, located in the Men of the Main Decks gallery.

Found just outside the Carpenter’s cabin, ‘Hatch’ was the ratter – responsible for catching rats – on board the Mary Rose, although he may also have acted as an unofficial mascot.

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1545 Experience

Experience the final moments of the Mary Rose and learn about the circumstances that led to her sinking on that fateful day, in our 1545 Experience.

With narration from Dame Judi Dench and descriptions from Henry VIII, as well as interactive displays, relive the final moments of the ship’s life on the Solent. Feel the ship engage in battle and then turn and sink in the Solent.

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The ‘Cowdray engraving’

The virtual ‘Cowdray engraving’ enables you to explore the events of 19th July 1545 and the people involved.

See a depiction of Portsmouth as it was in the Tudor era. Learn about how the Mary Rose and Henry VIII’s English fleet stood against the invading French navy in the Battle of the Solent.

This is an interactive display that allows you to learn about the people and events depicted in this historic artwork.

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Guided tours

Why not take advantage of a guided tour with one of our expert guides. Our tours range from Highlights tours, which show the best of our collection in an hour, to Premium tours that include a two-hour tour through all three decks, plus access to the Archive, which houses our Reserve Collection.

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Real Tudor objects

From nit combs to backgammon sets, shoes and bowls with engravings, the Museum is full of objects that depict the day-to-day life of people living in Tudor England.

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Discover life on board

Learn about the Barber Surgeon, the Carpenter, the Cook, the Archer Royal and many more members of the crew through the objects they left behind as you explore the Museum’s decks.

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Experience the Mary Rose like no one else

Explore our Ship Hall Experience and get up close with the Mary Rose

Ship Hall tours