The Mary Rose Museum Review

Reviewed by Jane Warwick
This is a fascinating museum which is extremely informative and engaging for both adults and children. It should be on everyone’s must-visit list. As an added bonus, mums go free over this Mother’s Day weekend (30-31 March 2019) when you book online and there are added attractions making this venue even more attractive.
The museum is situated within the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and this is very well signposted from the M27. This dockyard contains numerous other attractions including the Victory and other famous naval ships. However, it is important to note that the ‘inclusive’ ticket to the dockyard (which covers 10 attractions), no longer includes the Mary Rose museum and a different ticket needs to be purchased for this. The ticket for the Mary Rose costs £17 per adult at the museum but considerable reductions can be had by buying tickets online in advance. Moreover, the tickets are valid for a year and allow multiple entries. This is really useful as there is so much to see at the museum you cannot absorb it all in one visit.
There is a large multi storey car park nearby and access to the museum is through the historic dockyard passing several famous old ships (definitely these are also worth a tour another time!), whilst modern naval warships (such as the fleet’s latest air craft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth) can often clearly be seen in the docks. The museum itself is very modern and has been brilliantly designed to house the remains of the Mary Rose and numerous artefacts which were discovered on it.
The Mary Rose was built for Henry VIII in 1510 and fought battles against the French for over 30 years. During the Battle of the Solent in 1545 she capsized very suddenly off the coast of Portsmouth and sank very quickly along with most of her 500 crew. Fortunately, much of her starboard side was quickly covered with a layer of silt which protected much of the woodwork and lots of artefacts from further destruction and it is these which are now displayed in the museum.
The museum is very interactive and extremely informative. The remains of the ship itself are viewed through continuous glass panels which give an uninterrupted view of it and you can appreciate its size and construction. Moreover, the lighting continuously changes so you can appreciate the ship seeing it very clearly in the light or when dark appreciating the audio-visual effects which are used dramatically to highlight the different activities that would have taken place on different parts of the ship, such as the carpenter at work with the ship’s dog getting in the way or the cannon balls being loaded into cannons and then being fired or a boy sweeping the deck. This is extremely effective. In addition, over 19000 items were recovered from the shipwreck and most of these are on display. However, what is really interesting is that scientific analysis has enabled detailed information to be obtained such that a picture can be built up of the crew members and their backgrounds. For example, an analysis of bone deformities has been able to identify the crew members who were archers, whilst DNA and chemical analysis can even pin point which part of the British Isles they came from! More recent analysis has highlighted the ethnic diversity of the crew which even included crew from Africa and the favourite exhibit is the ship’s dog, Hatch.
The museum contains a vast amount of material and information and it would be very difficult to absorb it all. Fortunately, there are numerous audio-visual displays and interactive screens to enable you to find out more about any aspect that interests you. Some fun games too, which are exciting for both mothers, children and others; such as how many ships can you damage using different size cannons. In addition, there is a free audio guide that you can download onto your phone or an audio headset that you can hire for £1. There are also a number of well-informed volunteers on-hand to allow you to have some hands-on experiences including trying to use a long-bow, sizing a cannon ball or finding out about a peppercorn grinder.
The museum is always interesting but has added attractions for Mothers’ Day. Visitors will be able to meet King Henry himself as he regales visitors with stories about his own mother, his time on the throne, and the dramatic sinking of the Mary Rose. Children can create a handmade card and a unique Tudor petal cushion gift, using traditional ingredients like dried lavender and roses that could have been picked in a Tudor garden-and mums go free! You do need to pay extra for these additional activities (£2).
After looking around the museum (open 10am – 4pm), there are a number of family friendly cafes and restaurants both inside the historic dockyard and immediately outside it where you can get a range of meals. Gunwharf Quays a designer outlet with the Emirates Spinnaker Tower is nearby; a short stroll away from the Mary Rose for those who enjoy a bit of retail therapy.
In summary, the Mary Rose Museum offers a unique and fascinating insight into Tudor life. It contains the only 16th century warship on display in the world and an insight into the life of her crew members with forensic science used to reveal their stories. It brings history alive!!
Would I take my mother to the Mary Rose Museum on Mothers’ Day? The answer is I would! I would go early and spend a few hours there (knowing I can come back when it is quieter on another day with my ticket), and then have lunch and head for the shops or go up the Emirates Spinnaker Tower if it is a clear day.
Rating: 5/5
Tickets: Child £8 (£5.60 online) / Adult £17 (11.90)
For more information or to book tickets online visit maryrose.org.
The Mary Rose, Main Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3PY
