The Mary Rose Wins Three Golds at the Beautiful South Awards | The Mary Rose
The Mary Rose Wins Three Golds at the Beautiful South Awards

The Mary Rose is pleased to announce that it triumphed at the Beautiful South Awards, held at the Grand Hotel, Brighton the evening of Wednesday 5 December. 

The prestigious event celebrates the brilliant tourism businesses and experiences that the South East of England has to offer.
The Mary Rose won gold in each of the three categories it was nominated: Large Visitor Attraction; Business Tourism and Venue; and Access and Inclusivity.

Helen Bonser-Wilton, Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust, said: “It’s a hat trick! We are thrilled to have won three top prizes at the Beautiful South Awards, in recognition of our efforts to make Mary Rose the most welcoming destination catering to a wide range of audiences. Mary Rose is a must-experience British icon and these big wins motivate us to work even harder to welcome visitors to our wonderful museum.”

Large Visitor Attraction

The Mary Rose is rated as the Number One Attraction in Portsmouth on TripAdvisor, where comments such as ‘breathtaking’, ‘astonishing’ and ‘spellbinding’ are regularly received.

Business Tourism and Venue

The Mary Rose has spectacular views over Portsmouth harbour. Steeped in maritime and Tudor history, it is a unique venue to hold events – from business meetings, seminars and conferences to private dinners and wedding receptions.

Access and Inclusivity

The Mary Rose is accessible to everyone.  The museum caters to visually and hearing impaired visitors and provides a buggy service to those unable to walk to the site from the main entrance. The Historic Dockyard and the museum are both fully accessible by wheelchair and the museum’s interiors are wheelchair and family friendly. There are multilingual audio guides and pamphlets to help non-English speakers enjoy the full Mary Rose experience. The museum also offers hands-on experiences for visitors with learning difficulties.

The Mary Rose underwent a complete revamp in 2016, with views of the ship opened up from all three decks and nine galleries through full length glazing. On the Upper Deck, visitors pass through an airlock and breathe the same air as Henry VIII’s flagship.  To bring the ship to life, state of the art projections of the crew were introduced, showing them going around their everyday lives in wartime and peacetime. 

The Mary Rose provides a unique and immersive journey into Tudor Life, with all the sights, smells and sounds of life in England in the reign of Henry VIII.  The stories of individual crew members are presented through thousands of personal possessions and professional tools.  Visitors experience interactive displays, artefact handling and live action events too.

This Christmas, visitors can meet Henry VIII and members of the Tudor court, free with a Mary Rose ticket. Learn what to bow and curtsey, laugh with the King’s fool and listen to yuletide Christmas music. Events will run on:
•    8th – 9th December
•    15th – 16th December
•    29th – 30th December

In Spring 2019, The Mary Rose looks forward to welcoming visitors to a unique new exhibition: ‘The Men of the Mary Rose: Who Do We Think They Were?’ which combines the latest scientific and genealogical research to show us who crewed the Mary Rose. You’ll never look at Tudor England the same way again!
 

The Beautiful South Awards in front of the Mary Rose
Team Photo Kate Shuttleworth Josephine Payter Harris Helen Bonser Wilton Becky Ashton James Rodliff
Beautiful South Awards 2018-2019 Gold