Talk and Tour: What Sank the Mary Rose

19th July 1545, The Battle of The Solent – the Mary Rose, once the pride of King Henry VIII’s fleet of warships, his Army By Sea, engages with the enemy – within minutes all is lost as the ship sinks. 

A distraught King Henry watches first hand from Southsea Castle as the ship is consumed by the waves of The Solent, and much of her crew perish, losing their lives to the murky sea. 

The ship and crew are lost, a warship full of weaponry, guns, arrows, bows, not to mention a plethora of personal items belonging to the men onboard. The ship lays at rest beneath the waves for over 400 years, until her famous re-discovery and journey to the surface in 1982. 

But what caused the ship to sink? 

This unique experience explores the many theories – from human error to poor design, from French cannon fire to bad weather – explore and uncover the facts and theories which ultimately led to the sinking of the Mary Rose. 

Delve deeper into our collection of over 4,000 Tudor artefacts with a memorable tour led by one of our expert museum guides. This tour features a behind-the-scenes look at our Reserve Collection and exterior viewing balcony, not accessible to everyday visitors. 

Followed by refreshments in one of our exclusive event spaces, and a 40 minute talk which explores the sinking of the Mary Rose, and the many theories that caused the tragedy, with plenty of time for Q&A with your expert guide. 

This experience is perfect for history lovers and those wanting to experience something a little more than the average museum visit. 

Limited capacity: book now to avoid disappointment. 

Please note: the cost of this experience does not include a Mary Rose ticket; the cost of the experience covers entry to The Mary Rose Museum for the day and time of the experience only. Should you with to visit us again you will need to purchase a Mary Rose visitor entry ticket.