Home | Visiting | Main attractions and local interest

Main attractions and local interest

Portsmouth is a city steeped in history with an impressive cast of characters from maritime heroes to literary giants. With an irresistible mix of old and new there are plenty of attractions for the whole family to enjoy. From its humble beginnings as a Saxon fishing village, Portsmouth developed into a military garrison town and then into the home of one of the most powerful sea-borne fighting forces in history. There's quite a story to tell!

With its unique history and maritime heritage it is no surprise that Portsmouth offers visitors a staggering number of museums, from the birthplace of Charles Dickens, to the fortresses and castles that were the backbone of this Garrison Town. 

See where Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, stand in the spot King Henry VIII watched the sinking of his ship, the Mary Rose and walk the route of many naval heroes in the cobbled streets of Old Portsmouth.

However, no visit would be complete without a trip to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to see how the sailors of old lived their lives serving the nation in the great warships, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior 1860.

And whilst Portsmouth is proud of its past we are also racing into the future with attractions such as the Blue Reef Aquarium, the interactive Actions Stations and the highly impressive Spinnaker Tower, in which visitors can climb to heights of 110 metres and experience views across the South Coast - just don’t look down! Look out for the Renaissance Trail set into the Millennium Promenades, from Spur Redoubt in Old Portsmouth to the gate of Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard you can walk the trail now and enjoy some fascinating glimpses of the past.

Arts and entertainment

Parks and open spaces
Arthur Conan Doyle Collection
Arts Digest
Pulse
Artist Networks
Arts groups and societies
Arts Partners
Artsdata
Culture Mailing List
Help & Advice
Organisations and resources
Outreach
The Third Floor Arts Centre
Venues and spaces

Main attractions

Blue Reef Aquarium - external link
Charles Dickens Birth Place
City Museum
D-Day Museum
Natural History Museum
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard - external link
Royal Marines Museum - external link
Southsea Castle
Spinnaker Tower

Local interest

Friends of Old Portsmouth Association
HMS Endurance
Wymering Manor