Explosion Museum Fireworks, Gosport Review
Explosion Museum Fireworks
Museum of Naval Firepower
Gosport, Hampshire
Reviewed by Natalie Kitchen
My family and I were asked to review the fireworks display at Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower in Gosport, Hampshire. Explosion! is built within the old gunpowder and munitions depot at Priddy’s Hard (which is across the water from Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard). Priddy’s Hard was once a busy Naval Armament supply depot that provided the Royal Navy with its ammunition for over two hundred years. Included in the very reasonably priced ticket for the firework display you get access to the museum and a range of different activities.
The fireworks display started at 7pm but the gates opened at 5pm to give you a good chance to have a look around the museum beforehand. We got there just after 5pm. The museum lies on the waterfront of Gosport but is easily signposted from the main roads. There is plenty of parking museum. Outside there were a number of extra activities for the family to do. There were rides, stalls (some selling food), a local radio station was there and at one point we saw an entertainer shooting fire! There was also a bonfire lit on the edge of the waterfront. First stop for us a stall that sold lots of colourful light up wands. Spinning light wands purchased and we were ready to start our night.
We decided to head straight to the museum first. We were greeted by a very friendly member of staff who gave us a map for the museum and gave my son a sheet with a special activity that was on throughout the museum called “Hunt the Mice”. There were 16 stuffed mice hidden around the museum and the worksheet had pictures of each mouse and the room it was in. When you found the mouse you tick the box next to the picture and at the end you complete the form with your details and hand it in to be entered into a free prize draw to win your own mouse. The kids enjoyed the activity and it sometimes took the whole family to find the well hidden mice.
The museum was very busy due to the amount of people looking around so we didn’t spend as long going round reading everything and watching the videos like we would normally. The museum told the story of naval warfare from a time when they used cannons and gunpowder to the modern missiles of today. There is a huge collection of different weapons there including guns, cannons, torpedoes and missiles. It’s not just all about guns and missiles though, it also tells the stories of the people who worked there over the centuries that it was an armament. The kids liked the locker room where you opened up the different lockers to see personal effects and stories from those who worked there. Other than that and the mouse hunt, I would say that the museum was a bit too grown up for my kids (5 year old twins and a 2 year old) and would be better suited to slightly older kids but that is the same as a lot of museums at their age. In the Grand Magazine they laid on activities for the kids including storytelling and my 5 year olds favourite, some craft tables where you could make your own sparklers and pictures. He spent a good 20 minutes perfecting a firework picture complete with pipe cleaners, glitter and sparkly bits. The museum also has a cafe and a gift shop.
All of this great family entertainment, an evening looking at the museum and crafts for the kids was topped off by a spectacular firework display that had all the kids looking in awe. I would definitely recommend the firework display at Explosion! museum. It is great value for money, especially if you buy your tickets in advance as you get 20% off. It was cheaper than a lot of other firework displays in the area, with the added bonus of getting access to the museum. A great family evening out.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £6 to £25 (see website for details).
Explosion! Heritage Way, Priddy’s Hard, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 4LE | 02392 505600
