History-lovers will have the rare chance to go behind the scenes at Royal Armouries Fort Nelson and see pieces of the national collection of artillery not usually on show to the public, during Heritage Open Days.
Visitors to Fort Nelson will be invited into the stores to see collection items, not usually on show to members of the public, on 14 and 15 September for Heritage Open Days.
Experts from our curatorial team will give special guided tours, which need to be booked online in advance, at www.royalarmouries.org as spaces are limited.
The free tours will take place at 11am, 1pm and 3pm and will last an hour in total. The tour will be made up of two 30-minute tours at two different locations on site, with a change-over in the middle. The tours are suitable for ages 14+ only and under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. Visitors will also be required to bring along photographic ID (current passport or driving licence) in order to access the secure areas included in the tour.
Fort Nelson was built in the 1860s to protect against a potential invasion by the French, which never materialised.
Although never used for its original purpose the Fort played a significant role in both World Wars; as barracks for troops waiting to be deployed to the front line in the First, and as an anti-aircraft ammunition supply depot during the Second.
Today it stands as the finest Victorian fort of its kind and as part of the Royal Armouries is home to the national collection of artillery.
Fort Nelson is open six days a week (closed on Mondays) 10am to 5pm.
Event Times
Saturday 14 September: 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm
Sunday 15 September: 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm
Booking Information
Pre-booking: Required.
Tours are 1 hour long, with 30-minutes spent in each store. Each tour group will be split into two groups of 10 to visit each store, and will then change over.
Address & Directions
Fort Nelson, Portsdown Hill Road, Fareham, Hampshire, PO17 6AN.
The event will be taking place at Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson, on top of Portsdown Hill in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Additional Information
Max 20 people per session/tour. 1 hour.
Due to their location, unfortunately the tours of the stores are not accessible.
Due to the tour being of the collection stores, visitors will be asked to fill out a short form before the start of the tour. We also ask that visitors produce photographic ID (current passport or driving licence). Unfortunately, we cannot allow access into secure areas without it. Bags are not permitted in the stores, therefore visitors will need to leave belongings in a designated area. We advise visitors to arrive to the tour 15 minutes before the start time to ensure all checks can be completed. The tours are suitable for ages 14+ only and under 18s must be accompanied by an adult.
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Royal Armouries Fort Nelson
Header image: Royal Armouries Fort Nelson_credit Fort Nelson