List of museums in Hampshire

This list of museums in Hampshire, England contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organisations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit art galleries and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included. To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Name Image Town/City Region Type Summary
Aldershot Military Museum Aldershot Rushmoor Military History of the British Army in Aldershot
Allen Gallery Alton East Hampshire Art website, ceramics collection of English, continental and oriental pottery, porcelain and tiles
Andover Museum and Museum of the Iron Age Andover Test Valley Local website, local history, natural history, archaeology, art exhibits, culture, industry
Army Physical Training Corps Museum Aldershot Rushmoor Military website, photos, militaria and gymnastic equipment used by the Army Physical Training Corps for physically training in the British Army
ArtSway Sway New Forest Art website, contemporary visual art centre
Aspex Gallery Portsmouth Portsmouth Art Contemporary art gallery, located in Gunwharf Quays
Bargate Monument Gallery Southampton Southampton Art website, contemporary art gallery
Basing House Old Basing Basingstoke and Deane Historic house Remains of a Tudor palace, museum displays about the archaeology of Basing House, Tudor and Elizabethan life at Basing, the Civil War and the downfall of Basing
Beaulieu Beaulieu New Forest Multiple Includes admission to Beaulieu Abbey, Beaulieu Palace House, National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, James Bond Experience, Secret Army Exhibition, gardens
Beaulieu Abbey Beaulieu New Forest Religious Remains and artefacts from the 13th century Cistercian abbey
Beaulieu Palace House Beaulieu New Forest Historic house Former 13th-century Great Gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey with Victorian additions, gardens
Breamore House Breamore New Forest Multiple Elizabethan manor house known for paintings and furniture, Breamore Countryside Museum with open air shops and homes, steam powered farm machinery
Buckler's Hard Bucklers Hard New Forest Open air 18th-century Georgian village, includes a maritime museum, historic cottage displays, shipbuilding history, Admiral Horatio Nelson artefacts, World War II efforts
Bursledon Brickworks Museum Swanwick Fareham Industry Victorian brickworks with steam engine, and working machinery.
Bursledon Windmill Bursledon Eastleigh Mill Early 19th-century windmill
Butser Ancient Farm Petersfield East Hampshire Agriculture Working replica of an Iron Age farmstead including simulated pre-Roman roundhouses and a Roman villa
Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum Portsmouth Portsmouth Historic house 1809 period house where author Charles Dickens was born
Chawton House Chawton East Hampshire Historic house Restored Elizabethan manor house and garden, home of author Jane Austen's brother Edward Austen Knight, houses the Chawton House Library and Centre for the Study of Early English Women's Writing, 1600–1830
Cumberland House Natural History Museum Southsea Portsmouth Natural history website, also known as Portsmouth Natural History Museum, wildlife found in the local riverbank, marshes, woods and urban areas, geology displays, seasonal butterfly house
Curtis Museum Alton East Hampshire Local Local history, prehistoric tools, Roman and Saxon history and artefacts, toys, culture
The D-Day Story Southsea Portsmouth Military History of Operation Overlord during the Normandy D-Day landings, features the Overlord Embroidery
Eastney Beam Engine House Portsmouth Portsmouth Technology Victorian sewage pumping house with two 150 hp James Watt & Co. beam engines
Eling Tide Mill Eling New Forest Mill Tide-driven watermill dating back to the Middle Ages
Emsworth Museum Emsworth Havant Local website, local history, maritime heritage, culture, author P.G. Wodehouse
Explosion! Museum of Naval Firepower Gosport Gosport Military History of naval firepower from gunpowder to the present
Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Museum Farnborough Rushmoor Aviation Historic aircraft, jet engines and helicopter rotors, research models of the Concorde, demonstrations of a working wind tunnel, history and science of military and civilian aviation
Flora Twort Gallery Petersfield East Hampshire Art Works by local artist Flora Twort, historic costumes, changing exhibits of local art
Fordingbridge Museum Fordingbridge New Forest Archaeology website, local history, culture, artist Augustus John,
Fort Brockhurst Gosport Gosport Military Operated by English Heritage, mid-19th-century fort with exhibits of stonework, textiles, jewellery and furniture from many periods from their collections
Fort Nelson Boarhunt City of Winchester Military 1860s fort, features the artillery collection of the Royal Armouries
Furzey Gardens Minstead New Forest Multiple website, gardens, art gallery, restored 16th-century thatched forest cottage
Genesis Expo Portsmouth Portsmouth Religious Creation science display of dinosaurs and dioramas
Gilbert White's House Selborne East Hampshire Historic house website, home and garden of 18th-century naturalist Gilbert White, also the Oates Collections about Antarctic explorer Lawrence Oates and his uncle explorer Frank Oates, display of Central American birds
Gliding Heritage Centre Lasham Airfield East Hampshire Aviation museum web-site Collection of 42 vintage gliders Tours available at Lasham Airfield club-house on Sundays at 2:00pm only
Gosport Discovery Centre Gosport Gosport Multiple website, local library, museum of local history, geology, local history, maritime and military heritage, culture, art gallery
The Gurkha Museum Winchester City of Winchester Military History and memorabilia of the Gurkha service to the British crown, part of Winchester's Military Museums
Highclere Castle Newbury Basingstoke and Deane Historic house Large Elizabethan country house, park designed by Capability Brown, features Egyptian artefacts from the 5th Earl of Carnarvon
Hinton Ampner Bramdean City of Winchester Historic house Operated by the National Trust, country house known for its early 20th-century gardens, collection of Georgian and Regency furniture, Italian pictures and objets d'art
Hollycombe Steam Collection Liphook East Hampshire Multiple Collection of steam-powered vehicles, fairground rides, a display farm and three railways
HorsePower: The Museum of the King's Royal Hussars Winchester City of Winchester Military History and memorabilia of the King's Royal Hussars, part of Winchester's Military Museums
Hovercraft Museum Lee-on-the-Solent Gosport Transportation Hovercraft vehicles
Hurst Castle Milford on Sea New Forest Military One of Henry VIII's Device Forts, features lighthouse museum, coastal gun batteries and searchlights from World War II, military exhibits
Jane Austen's House Museum Chawton East Hampshire Historic house 17th-century house where author Jane Austen wrote Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion
John Hansard Gallery Southampton Southampton Art Part of the University of Southampton, contemporary visual art gallery
Little Woodham Rowner Gosport Living Recreated mid-17th-century rural village
Manor Farm Country Park Bursledon Eastleigh Living Victorian period farmstead, schoolroom, wheelwright's shop, blacksmith's forge and 13th-century church
Medieval Merchant's House Southampton Southampton Historic house Operated by English Heritage, 14th-century period merchant's house
Milestones Museum Basingstoke Basingstoke and Deane Living Recreated covered network of Victorian and 1930s streets and shops, farm, Thornycroft vehicles, steam and agriculture equipment
Mottisfont Abbey Mottisfont Test Valley Historic house Operated by the National Trust, includes the Gothic remains of the original 13th-century Augustinian priory with a collection of 20th-century art, gardens
Museum of Army Flying Stockbridge Test Valley Military History of flying in the British Army
Museum of the Iron Age Andover Test Valley Archaeology website, artefacts and recreations of the Danbury hill fort
Museum of Army Chaplaincy Amport Test Valley Military Located in Amport House, history and memorabilia of the Royal Army Chaplains' Department
Museum of the Adjutant General's Corps Winchester City of Winchester Military History and memorabilia of the Adjutant General's Corps, part of Winchester's Military Museums
National Motor Museum Beaulieu New Forest Transportation Automobiles, motorcycles, 1930s garage, motoring history and memorabilia, World of Top Gear, James Bond Experience, other movie vehicles
New Forest Centre Lyndhurst New Forest Multiple website, includes the New Forest Museum with exhibits about New Forest Park local history, natural history, culture, geology, forestry, and the New Forest Gallery;
Petersfield Museum Petersfield East Hampshire Local Local history, culture
Portchester Castle Portchester Fareham History Operated by English Heritage, remains of a medieval castle and former Roman fort, exhibits about history of the castle, Portchester village, and recovered artefacts
Portsmouth City Museum Portsmouth Portsmouth Multiple Local history, culture, period rooms displays, life of author Arthur Conan Doyle and the creation of Sherlock Holmes, fine and decorative arts, art gallery
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Portsmouth Portsmouth Maritime Includes the National Museum of the Royal Navy Portsmouth, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior (1860), Mary Rose Museum, Dockyard Apprentice Exhibition, Trafalgar Experience, Trafalgar Sail
Rockbourne Roman Villa and Museum Rockbourne New Forest Archaeology Excavated Roman villa and museum with recovered artefacts
Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum Winchester City of Winchester Military History and artefacts of the Royal Green Jackets regiment, part of Winchester's Military Museums
Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum Winchester City of Winchester Military History and memorabilia of the Royal Hampshire Regiment, part of Winchester's Military Museums
Royal Marines Museum Portsmouth Portsmouth Military History of the Royal Marines
Royal Military Police Museum Southwick City of Winchester Law enforcement website, history of the Royal Military Police, open by appointment only
Royal Navy Submarine Museum Gosport Gosport Military International history of submarine development
Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum New Milton New Forest Transportation Restored motorcycles
Sandham Memorial Chapel Burghclere Basingstoke and Deane Art Operated by the National Trust, features large-scale paintings by acclaimed artist Stanley Spencer that reflect his experiences in World War I
SeaCity Museum Southampton Southampton Multiple Local history, archaeology, permanent Titanic exhibition
Solent Sky Southampton Southampton Transportation History of aviation in Southampton, the Solent area and Hampshire, special focus on the Supermarine aircraft company
Southampton City Art Gallery Southampton Southampton Art Collection covers six centuries of European art history
Southsea Castle Portsmouth Portsmouth Military One of Henry VIII's Device Forts
Southwick House Southwick City of Winchester Military Important site for planning of the D-Day operations, open by appointment only
The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre Havant Havant Multiple website, arts centre, local history and culture exhibits
St. Barbe Museum & Art Gallery Lymington New Forest Multiple website, local and coastal maritime history, including smugglers, salt makers and boat builders, art gallery
Stansted House Rowland's Castle East Hampshire Historic house Located on the Hampshire/West Sussex border, early 20th-century Edwardian country house and chapel
Stratfield Saye House Stratfield Saye Basingstoke and Deane Multiple Historic estate house with paintings and furniture collections, home of the Dukes of Wellington since 1817, exhibit of military artefacts and history of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Totton and Eling Heritage Centre Eling New Forest Local website, local history, culture
Tudor House and Garden Southampton Southampton Historic house Tudor-style house dating back to the 12th century
The Vyne Sherborne St John Basingstoke and Deane Historic house Operated by the National Trust, 16th-century country house with an eclectic mix of fine furniture, portraits, textiles and sculpture from over three centuries, gardens
Twyford Waterworks Twyford City of Winchester Industry Former pumping station and waterworks, with working steam engines, narrow-gauge railway and other associated equipment
Westbury Manor Museum Fareham Fareham Local Local history, culture
Westgate Museum Winchester City of Winchester Military Fortified medieval gateway to the city, later used as a prison and debtor's gaol, features collection of pre-Imperial weights and measures
Whitchurch Silk Mill Whitchurch Basingstoke and Deane Industry Former textile mill with waterwheel
Willis Museum Basingstoke Basingstoke and Deane Local Local history, art gallery
Winchester Castle Winchester City of Winchester Historic house Features the Great Hall, a 13th-century hall and medieval round table
Winchester Cathedral Winchester City of Winchester Religious Includes historic bibles, art and artefacts
Winchester City Mill Winchester City of Winchester Mill Operated by the National Trust, restored water mill
Winchester City Museum Winchester City of Winchester Local website, local history, archaeology, reconstructed Victorian and Edwardian shops
Winchester Discovery Centre Winchester City of Winchester Multiple website, city's library with galleries for local history, culture, art
Winchester Science Centre Winchester City of Winchester Science Hands-on interactive science and technology centre, planetarium
Winchester's Military Museums Winchester City of Winchester Military Complex including five independent regimental museums of the King's Royal Hussars, Royal Hampshire Regiment, Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, The Gurkha Museum and Adjutant General's Corps

Defunct museums

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Eastleigh Museum set to close over financial and staffing issues". BBC News. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  2. ^ Edgley, Timothy (30 March 2020). "County-wide cuts blamed for closure of Eastleigh Museum". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Ringwood Town Country Experience". Trip Advisor. Retrieved 14 March 2015.