Mary Rose Museum

The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, England, houses the remains of the Tudor warship Mary Rose and an extensive collection of artefacts recovered from the wreck, making it a major maritime-archaeology attraction.

The central exhibit is the conserved hull remains displayed within a specially designed hall, with raised walkways that allow close views of surviving timbers. Galleries present more than 19,000 recovered artefacts - clothing, weapons, tools and personal items - which together reconstruct life aboard a 16th-century warship. Visitors also see conservation workshops and interpretation that explain the long-term preservation work required for waterlogged wood and metal.

Built in the early 16th century for Henry VIII’s navy, the Mary Rose sank in 1545 during an engagement in the Solent. The hull and thousands of objects were raised in 1982; after long conservation the collection was placed in a modern museum building at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, which opened in its current form in 2013.

The museum is located in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on England’s south coast, adjacent to Portsmouth Harbour and the naval dockyard, within easy reach of the city of Portsmouth and the wider Solent area.

• Sinking and recovery: The warship sank in 1545 and was raised from the Solent in 1982; the museum reopened with a new building in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2013 to display the hull and artefacts.

What to See #

• Mary Rose hull (Mary Rose Hall): The preserved timbers and hull fragments of the Tudor warship raised from the Solent, displayed in a purpose-built gallery with raised walkways providing close views of the surviving structure.
• Conservation workshops and galleries: Conservation viewing areas and laboratories where ongoing preservation of waterlogged timbers and artefacts is explained, with visitors able to see conservation work in progress.
• Artifact galleries: Extensive artifact galleries presenting more than 19,000 recovered items including weaponry, personal items and tools that illustrate 16th-century naval life.