Military, Defence & Aviation Museums in the UK

The Mall East, Armagh, Co Armagh  
A visit to Armagh County Museum is an ideal way to experience a flavour of the orchard county. Discover a rich and varied legacy revealed in... more

Brampton Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire  
At the Borough Museum & Art Gallery, Newcastle´s long history can be traced through the Roman period, its medieval castle, Royal Charters and industries to the... more

Bark House Lane, Cawthorne, Barnsley, South Yorkshire  
Cannon Hall Museum, first opened as a museum in 1957 and is now home to `Charge´, the Regimental Museum of the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary´s... more

18 High Street, Canterbury, Kent  
Canterbury Royal Museum & Art Gallery with Buffs Regimental Museum is in a splendid Victorian building, housing the city´s picture collections with recent acquisisions that include... more

Stewart Park, Marton, Middlesbrough, Teesside  
The Captain Cook Birthplace Museum is set in the scenic grounds of Stewart Park, and traces the life of Captain James Cook, the world´s most famous... more

St Peter Port, Guernsey  
The history of the magnificent Castle Cornet spans eight centuries when it stood guard over St Peter Port. The story of the castle is told using... more

Oaklands Park, Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, Essex  
Chelmsford Museum & the Essex Regiment Museum was founded in 1835. This local history Museum features `The Story of Chelmsford´ exhibition. The history of Chelmsford and... more

Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London  
The Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms is the world´s major museum dedicated to the life of Winston Churchill with its permanent exhibition housed in the... more

Southey Works, Greta Bridge, Keswick, Cumbria  
Visit Keswick´s Cumberland Pencil Museum, the home of the first pencil, and the Cumberland Pencil Co, home of pencil perfection since 1832. Walk through a replica... more

Clarence Esplanade, Portsmouth, Hampshire  
The D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery was opened in 1984 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings in 1944. It houses the magnificent and... more

PO Box 107, Salisbury Hall, London Colney, St Albans, Hertfordshire  
de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre (inc the Mosquito Aircraft Museum) is a secret wartime site waiting to be discovered by you. It is the home of... more

The Strand, Derby, Derbyshire  
The Derby Museum & Art Gallery, opened in 1879, houses the internationally important collection of major paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-97). Also on display... more

Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear  
Discovery Museum is the North East of England´s most popular free museum. Walk through its doors to discover all about life in Newcastle and Tyneside, from... more

Aykley Heads, Durham  
The DLI Museum & Durham Art Gallery is home to the treasures of The Durham Light Infantry, County Durham´s own regiment. It charts the history of... more

North Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria  
The Dock Museum is built over an original Victorian dry dock, this modern Museum tells the history of Barrow-in-Furness. Discover how it grew from a 19th... more

Salthill Road, Fishbourne, Chichester, West Sussex  
This site of Fishbourne Roman Palace was discovered in 1960 when a water main was being laid. Evidence suggests that it was developed from three phases... more

Culdrose Manor, Helston, Cornwall  
Flambards Experience-Victorian Village & Gardens, established nearly 30 years ago as the Cornwall Aircraft Park the Flambards Experience is one of the most popular days out... more

RNAS Yeovilton, Yeovil, Somerset  
The Fleet Air Arm Museum has the largest collection of Naval aircraft anywhere in Europe. Situated alongside an operational Naval Air Station you may see fighter... more

St Thomas Hospital, 2 Lambeth Palace Road, London  
The Florence Nightingale Museum, dedicated to Florence Nightingale, is world famous for her influence on nursing, she founded the first ever nursing school at St Thomas´s... more

The Abbots Tower, Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland  
The Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland opens to the public in line with Alnwick Castle from Easter to the end of October. There are important collection displays... more

Peninsula Barracks, Romsey Road, Winchester, Hampshire  
The Gurkha Museum is situated in the former Rifle Depot at Peninsula Barracks. The Museum commemorates the services of the Gurkhas to the British Crown since... more

The Heliport, Locking Moor Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset  
Britain´s only helicopter museum is a fascinating place to visit with many rare and unique helicopters on display under cover. It is Weston-super-Mare´s largest undercover all... more

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire  
The Imperial War Museum at Duxford is Europe´s premier aviation museum which stands on a wartime airfield and is home to a unique and fascinating collection... more

Trafford Wharf Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, Greater Manchester  
Imperial War Museum North opened in July 2002, and is a stunning aluminium-clad building - the first in the UK by international architect Daniel Libeskind. The... more

Lambeth Road, London  
At the Imperial War Museum, discover the story of those who have lived, fought and died in conflict from the First World War to the present... more

Argyle Street, Glasgow, Glasgow City  
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum re-opened in July 2006 following a £35 million restoration project. 8,000 objects are on display along with the new hands-on Discovery... more

Aerodrome Road, Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent  
Most important collection of Battle of Britain artefacts on show in the country - aircraft, vehicles, weapons, flying equipment, prints, relics from over 600 crashed Battle... more

La Valette, St Peter Port, Guernsey  
La Valette German Underground Museum is an exhibition illustrating Guernsey´s military history, including WWI, the German Occupation 1940-45 and the island´s Militia. Set in air-conditioned tunnels,... more

The Parade, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire  
This award winning Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, Royal Pump Rooms has a fine art collection, an exhibition on the history of Royal Leamington Spa,... more

St Faiths Street, Maidstone, Kent  
At Maidstone and Bentlif Art Gallery you´ll find something for everyone - outstanding collections, special exhibitions, a shop and a café. Housed in a beautiful Elizabethan... more

High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex  
Marlipins Museum, once a Customs House, now holds artefacts from the long history of the Shoreham area and the maritime past plus a collection of local... more

Weybourne, Holt, Norfolk  
The Muckleburgh Collection has been so named after Muckleburgh Hill at the foot of which the military camp is situated. The heart of the Museum is... more

Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire  
The Museum of Army Flying: Flying Soldiers! The heroic story of the army in the air from 19th century observation balloons to attack helicopters! The Museum... more

The Square, Barnstaple, Devon  
The Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon tells the story of North Devon, the wildlife, history and culture from prehistoric times to the 1930s. In the... more

East Fortune Airfield, East Fortune, East Lothian  
The Museum of Flight is home to Scotland´s national aviation collection and one of the most famous sites in world aviation history. Discover some of the... more

Jackson Dock, Maritime Avenue, Hartlepool, Teesside  
The Museum of Hartlepool tells the story of Hartlepool from prehistoric times to the present day using many original artefacts, photographs and models. Fascinating archaeological finds... more

Queen Marys Tower, The Castle, Carlisle, Cumbria  
The Museum of the Border relates the history of Cumbria´s County Infantry Regiment, local Militia and Volunteer units from 1702 to the present day. Regiment &... more

Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London  
At the National Army Museum, discover the colourful story of the British Army and how the men and women who have served in it have lived... more

Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh  
The National War Museum of Scotland is located within Edinburgh Castle. The Museum explores the Scottish experience of war and military service over the last 400... more

The Airfield, Winthorpe, Newark, Nottinghamshire  
The Newark Air Museum is open every day (except Christmas and New Year) with half the aircraft and cockpit sections displayed under cover, along with artefact... more

Buckeroo Way, The Street, Flixton, Bungay, Suffolk  
Historic aircraft, indoor exhibitions - both civil and military, from the pioneer years through World War I to the present day. Special displays on Boulton &... more

Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire  
The Northampton Museum & Art Gallery houses Northampton´s famous collection of boots and shoes, the largest in the world. The displays show the history of shoemaking... more

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire  
Situated high above the city, Nottingham Castle is a 17th century Mansion built over 300 years ago, on the site of a medieval castle originally built... more

Yarm Road, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham  
Built in 1825, Preston Hall Museum is set in 100 acres of parkland. Displays include art, armour, costume and textiles and social history. There is a... more

Fort George, Ardersier, Inverness, Highland  
The Regimental Museum of the Highlanders is situated in the spectacular Fort George, the Museum houses the unique collections of the Queen´s Own Highlanders, Seaforth Highlanders,... more

Grahame Park Way, Hendon, London  
Take off to the Royal Air Force Museum and soar through the history of aviation from the earliest balloon flights to the Eurofighter. Gaze at a... more

Cosford, Shifnal, Shropshire  
The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford houses one of the largest aviation collections in the UK with 70 historic aircraft on display in three wartime hangars... more

Fort Nelson, Portsdown Hill Road, Fareham, Hampshire  
Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson was built in the 1860s, as part of a chain of fortifications protecting the great naval harbour of Portsmouth in Hampshire... more

Armouries Drive, Leeds, West Yorkshire  
The Royal Armouries is Britain´s oldest national museum. The displays are intended to entertain, stimulate a desire to learn, and provide a multi-layered experience to cater... more

Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, London  
The Royal Artillery Museum - Firepower, is housed in the historically secret Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. `Firepower´ tells the history of artillery from slingshot to shell... more