Royal Navy Museums will open Royal Marines Experience on 24 October, creating a new national home for the story of the Royal Marines inside Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
The £15m project, part-funded by a £4.4m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund alongside support from the Garfield Weston Foundation, transforms the Grade II* listed Boathouse 6 into a centre covering more than 360 years of Royal Marines history, combining hands-on challenges, VR and AR technology and real objects, including all 10 Victoria Crosses awarded to the Royal Marines and a green beret worn during the Falklands War.
Matthew Sheldon, CEO of Royal Navy Museums, said: “We want this to feel like a museum you can step into, not simply look at… Through real voices, remarkable objects, hands-on challenges and immersive technology, visitors will be able to explore more than 360 years of Royal Marines history in a way that feels human, powerful and enjoyable.”
A new exhibition and events space
Boathouse 6 will also house a new Exhibition Space, described as the first purpose-built special exhibition area in the Dockyard, at 400m2 on the first floor overlooking the Mast Pond. Its first temporary exhibition will be Through Their Eyes, the Royal Navy Photographic Competition.
The building will also include an expanded events and conference space, the Mezzanine, featuring a 275-seat auditorium and a 300m2 flexible floor overlooking the new museum, available for private hire alongside a Royal Marines-themed Laser Quest arena.
