Royal Armouries: Fort Nelson
BEST FOR
Ages 0-15
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Fareham
What it’s like
Free entry to a real 19th-century fort stuffed with enormous cannon, including a 200-tonne railway howitzer, up on the hill above Fareham.
This is a proper fort, not a recreation, and the guns are the whole point. You've got a 15th-century Turkish bombard to gawp at, the terrifying "Big Babylon" Iraqi supergun, and a 200-tonne railway howitzer that's genuinely hard to picture until you're stood next to it. A lot of the big outdoor pieces you're actually allowed to touch, which is the bit that'll stick with a seven-year-old long after the visit.
Entry's free, which for a museum with this much heavy metal on display feels like a proper find. There's a free family activities programme running too, so it's worth building a visit around whatever's on that day. Ages zero to fifteen are catered for on the site's own reckoning, though the appeal probably leans toward the school-age end who can appreciate the scale of a supergun rather than a baby who just sees a big wall.
Because it's an actual fort, the ground isn't flat. Expect steps and uneven surfaces between the ramparts and galleries, so a buggy or wheelchair visit needs a bit more patience than your average museum. Two manual wheelchairs are kept on site free of charge if you need one and haven't brought your own.
Parking is £3 a car, paid at reception, and it's non-refundable if you change your mind halfway round, which is a slightly odd rule to have but there it is. Blue Badge holders park free in one of four spaces near the entrance. There's a café for drinks and light bites with indoor and outdoor seating, and you're also welcome to bring your own picnic, so lunch doesn't have to cost you anything beyond the car park fee. Stay as long as you like: there's no session limit, and with cannon at every turn a determined child could easily fill a full morning or afternoon.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- School-age kids, roughly 5 to 15, who'll appreciate the scale of the guns
- Booking
- Free booking recommended to guarantee entry, especially at weekends and school holidays
- Parking
- £3 per car, payable at reception on arrival
- How long to allow
- Stay as long as you like
- Food
- Onsite café offering drinks, snacks and light bites with indoor and outdoor seating
- Picnics
- Own food permitted (bring own picnic)
- Wheelchairs
- Two manual wheelchairs available free, first come first served
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs welcome in all areas
- The car park fee is non-refundable, so it's paid whether you stay five minutes or five hours
- Free family activities run alongside the permanent collection, so check what's on for the day you're visiting
- Toilets and baby changing are in the visitor centre, plus more toilets dotted through the galleries
- Bring proper shoes: the ramparts and galleries have steps and uneven ground, not flat museum floors
Plan your visit
Is it really free?
Yes, entry to Fort Nelson is free for everyone.
Do we need to book?
You can just turn up. Booking's free if you want to guarantee entry, which is worth doing at weekends and school holidays.
What are the opening hours?
10am to 5pm during April to October, dropping to 10am to 4pm November to March. In term time it's Tuesday to Sunday, but during school holidays it opens every day of the week.
Is there parking?
£3 a car, paid at reception when you arrive, and it's non-refundable once paid. Blue Badge holders get one of four free spaces near the entrance.
Can we bring a picnic?
Your own food is welcome. There's also a café doing drinks, snacks and light bites, with seating inside and out.
Is it OK for a toddler?
The site lists ages up to fifteen, but the ground has steps and uneven surfaces so it's more of a hold-hands-and-explore visit than a buggy-friendly stroll.
Is it accessible for wheelchairs?
There's wheelchair access and adapted toilets in the visitor centre and both main levels of the fort, plus two manual wheelchairs available free on a first-come basis. The terrain does vary though, with steps in places.
How long do people stay?
As long as you like, there's no set visit length. With this much to look at, a good few hours isn't unusual.
Are dogs allowed?
Assistance dogs are welcome everywhere on site, including the café, but pet animals aren't permitted.
Is there anything for school groups?
Self-guided school visits are free, and there's an award-winning workshop programme from Early Years right up to Key Stage 4. They recommend emailing the education team ahead of time to get the most out of it.
Featured in 3 Huddlepin lists
See all Museums in Southampton · Things to do in Southampton
MAKE A DAY OF IT
