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Yarmouth castle is small compared to many others in the UK but if you are in the area, I think it is worth a short visit. There was no charge when I visited in 2017.
Storyboards provide information about the history of the castle and the contents of the rooms.
There are a few rooms where castle life is illustrated with furniture, foods, tools, and so forth.
There is a great view of the waterfront on top of the castle. And there are picnic tables there as well.
There are no toilets onsite but there are facilities nearby in the Ferry Terminal. The ferries are visible from the top of the castle.
In addition to a special exhibit featuring Lord Nelson, the museum includes a history of the Royal Navy.
Storyboards, audio-visual presentations, and artefacts tell the story. Many individual stories reveal elements of Navy life. Special exhibits draw attention to the role of women in the Royal Navy.
The museum is located in the Historic Dockyards at Portsmouth.
The National Museum of the Royal Navy presents the Battle of Jutland covering a 36-hour period (website).
The battle involved 250 ships and 100,000 men. The audio-video presentations, storyboards, and artefacts present the historical context, timeline, and personal stories to make the events come alive.
The Battle began in the afternoon of 31 May, 2016 off the coast of Denmark's North Sea.
Following the battle, both the Germans and the British claimed victory; however, the larger British fleet remianed in control of the High Seas.
As of this writing in 2017, the exposition is scheduled for a limited time- until 2019.
Allow about 1-2 hours to walk through the presentation.
The odd-shaped presentation screens and position of the speakers can interfere with a straightforward telling of the story. To get more out of the presentation, it might be helpful to read a summary of the battle.
I am glad I saw the presentation but it is not the best exhibit at the Historic Dockyard.
A tour of the harbour is included with a multi-attraction ticket to the Historic Dockyard. I recommend taking the tour early on to get an overview of the area and introductory information about this busy port.
In addition to the ships, which are amongst the attractions, there are various Royal Navy and other ships in the harbour. I'll include a few examples from my April 2017 visit.
I consider the Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth to be an outstanding experience and good value. You will need a few days to enjoy the many attractions.
Because there are so many attractions, I recommend viewing the website and planning a visit. I also suggest the harbour tour early on to get an overview with commentary. Sit on the starboard side for most of the commentary.
Video of boating in front of Action Stations, which is Boathouse 6.
Tips and Suggestions
The multiple attractions ticket purchased online is the best value. I got mine on the morning of the first day. Show the confirmation email to collect the ticket and keep it handy to show at each attraction. There is a shorter line for returning visitors.
Toilets are in building 7 and elsewhere but not in the Visitors Centre.
There are several restaurants or cafes in the different attractions as well as places for a picnic.
The gift shops offer both educational and other souvenirs-- some made outside the UK.
The dockyards are family friendly with many activities for children. I saw a number of care providers/ parents and children interacting. Some locations even had board games.
A few activities might scare young children e.g. blood, amputations, explosions.
Photos are permitted in most places but flash is often not permitted.
Some attractions require bending over to enter or negotiate small spaces e.g., in Submarines.
The museum located in Gosport takes visitors on a tour of naval weaponry housed within buildings dating to the 18th century.
I visited as part of a mulsti-attraction ticket to the Historic Dockyards in Portsmouth. The included waterbus service from the Dockyards adds to the experience, which affords pleasant views of Portsmouth Harbour.
Inside you will see a variety of weapons along with storyboards and audiovisual presentations. There are also interactive exhibits.
A variety of naval guns are outside the complex.
There is a cafe and outdoor tables for picnics. And places to view the harbour.
Learn more about the museum at their website http://www.explosion.org.uk/