Wight Military and Heritage Museum

What it’s like

Guided tours, an air rifle range and a chance to operate a bomb disposal robot make this a hands-on military museum rather than a look-don't-touch one.

Volunteers take you round on a guided tour rather than leaving you to wander, which suits a museum with this much kit to explain. Kids can have a go on the air rifle range, take the controls of a bomb disposal robot on the outdoor course, and get a photo in a tank wearing helmets. The armoured vehicle rides are off at the moment for scheduled maintenance, so if that's the bit you were promising them, hold off until it's back running.

The extras add up. Entry itself is £16 for an adult and £4 for a child, or £35 for a family ticket covering two adults and up to three kids, and then the air rifle shooting and the bomb disposal robot are £4 each on top. It stings a bit when you're already through the door, but every ticket comes with a year's membership thrown in, so a second visit costs nothing if the vehicle rides are back by then.

The site reckons on 1-2 hours, though it says most people end up staying 3-5, which tracks once you factor in a proper tour plus queuing for the robot course. It suits the 5-15 bracket best, since a lot of it depends on kids being old enough to follow the guides and handle the equipment themselves. There's a tea room on site for a break partway through, and the number 1 electric bus stops right outside every 10 minutes if you're coming without a car.

It's shut on Sundays and last entry is 3pm, so this is a Monday-to-Saturday plan rather than a weekend-anytime one. The bomb disposal robot only runs weather permitting, which is fair enough given it's outdoors, but worth factoring in if you're travelling any distance for it specifically.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

5 to 15, when kids can join in the tours and hands-on activities

Last entry

3pm

How long to allow

1-2 hours suggested, though visitors typically spend 3-5 hours

Food

Churchills Tea Rooms on-site tea room

Getting there by bus or train

Electric number 1 buses pass right outside every 10 minutes

Worth knowing

All tickets include 12 month annual membership to the museum

• Every ticket includes a 12 month annual membership, handy if you want to come back once the vehicle rides return
• The number 1 electric bus passes right outside every 10 minutes
• Extra activities like the air rifle range and bomb disposal robot are £4 each on top of entry
• Last entry is 3pm even though the museum is open until 3:45pm

Plan your visit

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