Things to Do at Mary Rose Museum

The Mary Rose Museum houses Henry VIII's flagship, raised from the Solent seabed after 437 years underwater. Built in 1511, this Tudor warship sank during the Battle of the Solent in 1545 with 500 men aboard, preserved in perfect anaerobic conditions that kept her starboard side intact. Walking around the ship feels like stepping into a time capsule - you can see the wooden bowls still stacked in the galley, longbows ready for battle, and even a dog's skeleton curled up where he died. Museum entry costs £23 (about $29) as part of the Historic Dockyard ticket, and the atmospheric lighting recreates the murky underwater world where she lay hidden. Visit mid-week to avoid the school groups that can overwhelm the narrow viewing galleries.

The Mary Rose Museum is located in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, about a 10-minute walk from Portsmouth Harbour train station (which has direct services from London Waterloo). If you're driving, the dockyard has its own car parks, though they can fill up on busy days. The museum is part of the Historic Dockyard, so you'll need to enter through the main dockyard gates. Portsmouth is well-connected by ferry to the Isle of Wight and has good bus connections throughout the city.