The D-Day Story
ENTRY
from £6.65
WHERE
Portsmouth
What it’s like
A Second World War museum with a family trail on the French Resistance, plus a real tank landing craft to climb aboard on Southsea seafront.
The main museum does the storytelling part well: interactive displays and personal accounts from the Second World War, with a family trail built around the French Resistance and their part in D-Day. It's the sort of trail that gives kids something to actually do rather than just look, which makes a big war museum feel less like a lecture.
The bit they'll remember, though, is probably LCT 7074, the tank landing craft moored on Southsea Seafront. Getting up onto the higher decks means steps and then a steep metal ladder, so it's not one for a buggy or for anyone unsteady on their feet, and the audio-visual displays on board can be loud and sudden without much warning. Worth knowing before you climb aboard rather than finding out halfway up.
Money-wise, buying online saves you a bit across the board, adult entry drops from £18.25 to £16.60 and a family ticket comes down to £41.35 online against £45.50 on the door. Under-5s get in free and there's no need to book a specific time slot, you just turn up within opening hours. Last entry to the museum is 4.30pm and to LCT 7074 it's 4pm, so don't leave it too late in the day if the tank landing craft is the one you're there for.
There's a café on site doing vegan and gluten-free options, and the car park next door has 125 spaces with free parking for blue badge holders. It's wheelchair accessible throughout the main museum, with an accessible toilet and a Changing Places facility in the car park, though the ship itself is a harder call for anyone with a mobility impairment.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 16:00 to LCT 7074, 16:30 to museum
- Booking
- Tickets available at door or advance online discount
- Parking
- Large 125-space car park next to museum
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair accessible displays and accessible toilet
- Dogs
- Guide dogs welcome. Park and water bowl available
- Getting there by bus or train
- Hovertravel from Isle of Wight 10 mins to Southsea Seafront, 10 mins walk to museum
- Ear defenders are available on request if the LCT 7074 audio displays are too much
- Online tickets aren't valid on a few specific dates including 11 November and 27 January, so check which ticket you're buying
- The Changing Places toilet is in the car park rather than the main building
- Hovertravel from the Isle of Wight lands 10 minutes' walk from the museum if you're coming that way
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£18.25 for an adult on the door, or £16.60 if you book online. A family ticket is £45.50 on the door and £41.35 online. Under-5s go free.
Do we need to book a time slot?
No, you don't need to book a specific time. Buying online just saves you money on the door price.
What time does it close?
The museum is open 10am to 5.30pm April to September and 10am to 5pm the rest of the year. Last entry is 4.30pm to the museum and 4pm to LCT 7074.
Is the tank landing craft OK for pushchairs or wheelchairs?
Not really. The upper deck is steps only and the highest deck needs a steep metal ladder, so it's a hard one to navigate with a wheelchair or mobility impairment.
Is there parking?
A 125-space car park next to the museum. It's free for blue badge holders, and paying for parking gets you £1 off entry.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's a café on site with vegan and gluten-free options, and staff will help carry food or drinks to your table if you need it.
Can we bring a dog?
Guide dogs are welcome, and there's a park and green space within 100 metres for a break.
Is it accessible for wheelchairs?
The main museum building is wheelchair accessible with displays designed to be viewed from a wheelchair, an accessible toilet and an induction loop. LCT 7074 is the tricky part, not the museum itself.
Do you do school visits or group bookings?
School and group visits can be booked, and there's a discounted adult group rate of £16.20 on the door for groups of 15 or more.
Is it open on bank holidays or over Christmas?
It's closed on 24, 25 and 26 December. On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day it closes at 4pm.
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