Contact

Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery
Museum Road
Portsmouth
Hampshire
PO1 2LJ

Tel: 023 9282 7261
Email: vis@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery is open Tuesday – Sunday.
April – September: 10am – 5.30pm
October – March: 10am – 5pm.

Entry is free.

You may be interested in:

Collections and stories
Take a look through the museum collection, and all its paintings, sculptures and artefacts - including those items not currently on display.
By appointment
Make an appointment to view certain collection items or to find out more.
Historic Environment Record
The HER is the primary source of information for archaeology and historic sites within the city of Portsmouth.
History
The museum building has a history as fascinating as many of the displays contained within.
Staff recommendations
Take a look at our favourite (yet often easy-to-miss) pieces in the museum, as staff members share their recommendations.
Stories
Courage, daring, chance and tragedy all feature in the stories behind some of our most intriguing objects.
A gramophone with a story to tell
It's a masterpiece from "the most neglected serious painter of her time".
A memorial for one of the Navy’s worst peacetime disasters
There's argument, controversy and tragedy in the tale of a dark day for the Royal Navy.
Frederick Paffett’s courage at sea
A small object tells of herculean bravery at sea by one of Portsmouth's own.
More than meets the eye, with Portsmouth’s ‘unofficial war artist’
Take a closer look at a painting where there's much more than meets the eye.
When Buffalo Bill came to Portsmouth
A collection of glass plate negatives led us on a voyage of discovery, to the time when Buffalo Bill came to Portsmouth.
Get involved
Want to volunteer at the museum, or have an item to donate? Find out how to get involved here.
Activities
Try your hand at some of our fun activities - inspired by the museum collection.
Dodo word search and story
Read all about the dodo, then complete a fun word search.
Edward King colouring sheets
Colour in some of Edward King's most famous paintings.
Puzzle – Portsmouth Guildhall, 1941
Try our online puzzle of Edward King's celebrated depiction of Portsmouth Guildhall. 152 pieces.
Collecting Covid
Tell us your stories of the coronavirus pandemic.
Donate an object
How do you make a donation to Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, and what is the process?
Make a donation
Make a financial contribution to Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery.
Share your art
Get involved in The People's Gallery and see your work featured.
Share your seaside photos
Help decorate the museum walls with your seaside images
Volunteer
See how to volunteer at our museum and the roles currently available.
Home
Discover everything you need to know about Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery.
Private hire
Choose one of the city's most historic buildings for your event or wedding.
Meetings
Hire a room at Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery for your event, meeting or interview.
Weddings
Add a touch of opulence to your day with a wedding at Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery.
Visit
Find out all the information you need ahead of a visit to our museum.
Cafe and garden
Our wonderful café is open to the public Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 4.30pm.
Covid-19 FAQs
Read our Covid-19 FAQs ahead of your visit.
Groups
Find out everything you need to know about group visits to the museum.
Museum access
See the accessibility information for Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery here.
Schools
There's loads see and do for school groups of all ages at Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery.
Shop
Browse the books, postcards and keepsakes on offer - inspired by the museum and city.
What to see and do
From our fascinating exhibitions to temporary displays - and not forgetting year-round events, there's much to see and do at the museum.
Events
Don't miss the great events we've got coming up at Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery.
Exhibitions
Discover more about all the great things to see on a visit to Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery.
A Study in Sherlock
Explore the fascinating contents of one of the world's largest collections about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his famous detective, Sherlock Holmes.
Decorative Arts
Be sure to visit our collection of fine and decorative arts, dating from around 1500 to 2010.
The Handley Read Collection
Our collection of 63 items from the Handley Read Collection have been professionally photographed.
Football in the City
Take a trip through Portsmouth Football Club's rich history, via the players, items and trophies that have all played a part.
Game Over: The future of the past
Explore the history of video games with the largest collection of its kind on display in the UK.
Living in Portsmouth
Discover how life at home has changed over the centuries.
No Place Like Pompey
What makes Portsmouth unique? Is it one particular place, the city’s geography, its past or its people?
Portsmouth at Play
Explore the ways in which Portsmouth's people enjoyed their time off through the ages.
The Picture Gallery
The Picture Gallery showcases some of the key works of art from our permanent collection.
Special displays
See the fascinating items we've got currently exhibited at the museum.
D is for Dodo, E is for Extinct
See a dodo skeleton - one of only 12 left on earth - at this exhibition on extinctions. Opens 15 February 2020.
Portsmouth Revisited II
Step back in time and take a fresh look at Portsmouth through the eyes of artists that lived or worked here.
The People’s Gallery
See the latest submissions to The People's Gallery

You may be interested in:

Collections and stories

By appointment

Historic Environment Record

History

Staff recommendations

Stories

A gramophone with a story to tell

A memorial for one of the Navy’s worst peacetime disasters

Frederick Paffett’s courage at sea

More than meets the eye, with Portsmouth’s ‘unofficial war artist’

When Buffalo Bill came to Portsmouth

Get involved

Activities

Dodo word search and story

Edward King colouring sheets

Puzzle – Portsmouth Guildhall, 1941

Collecting Covid

Donate an object

Make a donation

Share your art

Share your seaside photos

Volunteer

Home

Private hire

Meetings

Weddings

Visit

Cafe and garden

Covid-19 FAQs

Groups

Museum access

Schools

Shop

What to see and do

Events

Exhibitions

A Study in Sherlock

Decorative Arts

The Handley Read Collection

Football in the City

Game Over: The future of the past

Living in Portsmouth

No Place Like Pompey

Portsmouth at Play

The Picture Gallery

Special displays

D is for Dodo, E is for Extinct

Portsmouth Revisited II

The People’s Gallery