Fort Nelson

Fort Nelson, near Portsmouth, is home to the Royal Armouries’ national collection of artillery and historic cannon – free admission.

Please book your free ticket in advance to guarantee your visit and pay for parking on arrival at the reception desk.

Booking tickets

For visits between 24 July – 3 September 2023

Opening times

• 10am to 5pm – Tuesday to Sunday term time
• Open daily during school and bank holidays

What to see and do at Fort Nelson

Standing with Giants is a tribute art installation honouring those who lost their lives in the Falklands Conflict, which is currently on display at Fort Nelson.

Silhouetted figures of the 258 who died in Falklands War will stand on our Parade Ground and ramparts until 9 July. Admission is free but we ask visitors to book in advance to guarantee their visit, as we have limited capacity on site.

Here is short film showing an aerial view of the installation.

There is also a Falklands 40 exhibition on site, What Portsmouth Saw, featuring recordings of local servicemen discussing their experiences of returning to Portsmouth Harbour, alongside video footage from BBC South and photographs from The News.

Fort Nelson is a fully restored Victorian fort with its high ramparts, original fortifications, massive parade ground, underground tunnels, stunning panoramic views and home to the national collection of artillery.

Explore the museum housing over 700 pieces of artillery from across the world and spanning 600 years of history, including a 15th-century Turkish bombard cannon, a gigantic 200-tonne railway howitzer, and the infamous Iraqi supergun.

We also have entertaining children’s activities, and a café serving delicious refreshments.

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