• What’s On
  • Explore The Quarter
    • Overview
    • Eat
    • Do
    • See
    • Plan
  • Charters & Hire
    • Overview
    • Hire Venues
    • Stay With Us
    • Charter Boats
    • Leasing
  • Our Charity
    • Overview
    • Our Heritage
    • Our People
  • Contact
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What's On Contact Us Buy Tickets
PHQ
What's On Contact Us Buy Tickets
  • What’s On
  • Explore The Quarter
    • Overview
    • Eat
    • Do
    • See
    • Plan
  • Charters & Hire
    • Overview
    • Hire Venues
    • Stay With Us
    • Charter Boats
    • Leasing
  • Our Charity
    • Overview
    • Our Heritage
    • Our People
  • Contact
  • Donate

Discover Portsmouth’s Heritage

Book A Boat Trip

What’s On

Discover what’s coming up at Portsmouth Historic Quarter, with a calendar of upcoming events throughout the year. From seasonal events and family-friendly activities, there’s always something new to get involved in.

See all events
FREE
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Standing With Giants Installation

13th of January - 28th of May

FREE on site event - 'Standing With Giants' Art installation

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Boathouse 4 Event (June 2026)

13th & 14th of June

Boathouse 4 FREE Event - Historic Boat Trips Available ££

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Boathouse 4 Event (July 2026)

11th & 12th of July

Boathouse 4 FREE Event - Historic Boat Trips Available ££

Free To See

Explore Portsmouth Historic Quarter for free, including Boathouse 4 with historic vessels, monthly Pontoon Open Weekends, working heritage workshops, free children’s activities and exhibitions. Discover hidden spaces like Porter’s Garden and experience one of the UK’s most unique waterfront heritage destinations.

FREE
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Boathouse 4

A historic working boathouse at the heart of the dockyard. Explore heritage workshops, exhibitions and family-friendly activities for free.

FREE
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SHE_SEES Exhibition

A free photography exhibition celebrating women in maritime industries. Featuring powerful portraits and stories inside Boathouse 4.

FREE
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Carpenters’ Yard

A creative waterfront space in Gosport home to artists, makers and independent businesses. A growing community where heritage and creativity come together.

FREE
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Boathouse 4 Pontoon

Step onto the pontoon during our monthly Pontoon Open Weekends to see historic vessels up close. Meet volunteers, learn their stories and step aboard selected boats for free.

FREE
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Porter’s Lodge Garden

A hidden historic garden tucked away within the dockyard. A peaceful space to relax and explore Portsmouth’s heritage landscape.

FREE
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Boathouse 7

Home to heritage displays, vintage arcade games, food and coffee by the waterfront. A welcoming space to pause and explore.

Food & Drink

Enjoy food and drink with unbeatable views across Portsmouth Harbour. From relaxed lunches to coffee and cake, Boathouse 4 Kitchen offers a welcoming space to sit back, unwind, and take in the historic waterfront surroundings while you dine.

All food & drink
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Fish and Chips

£17.50

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Cake and Hot Drink Promo

£7.50

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Berry Yoghurt Compote Waffles

£12.00

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Waste Knot Soup

£8.00

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Coffee and Tea

from £3.50

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Cheesy Hammy Eggy

£15.50

Our Boats

Discover our remarkable heritage fleet, lovingly restored and maintained at the dockyard. From working vessels to historic craft, each boat reflects Portsmouth’s rich maritime past and the skills that keep it alive for future generations.

See all boats
>
F8 Beach

Landing Craft Foxtrot 8

F8, a Landing Craft designed for transport of vehicles and personnel, has been fully restored and now offers low-cost accessible harbour trips. See What's On pages for dates and times.

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54 heritage vessel

High Speed Launch 102

HSL 102 rescued aircrew from the sea during the Second World War. She stands as the sole surviving example of the 100 class high-speed air-sea rescue launches.

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MGB 81 w Spinnaker

Motor Gun Boat 81

MGB 81, constructed in 1942, can reach speeds of over 40 knots. She participated in numerous actions during the Second World War, including the Normandy landings.

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CMB4 321

Coastal Motor Boat 4

On loan from the Imperial War Museum, CMB 4 took part in raids on the Bolshevik fleet in 1919. We have constructed an operational replica of this craft in Boathouse 4.

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2. Cyclops afloat in the Mast Pond after her refit, 2008 180KB

Cyclops

Cyclops is a 42-foot open rowing launch. This the largest type of boat which served naval ships in 1915, when Cyclops was built, and would have had two men to each of her 18 oars.

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D49 close up

Harbour Launch (Diesel) 49

Known as Port Auxiliary Service, or PAS boats, these vessels were workhorses of the dockyards, running continuously throughout major naval bases.

Our Buildings

Explore the historic buildings we care for at Portsmouth Historic Quarter. Each space has its own story, shaped by centuries of naval and maritime history, and continues to play a role in preserving the site’s living heritage today.

See all buildings
>
F8 hoisted by gantry crane

Boathouse 4

A historic working boathouse at the heart of the dockyard, where traditional boatbuilding, maritime heritage and interactive visitor experiences come together.

>
Storehouse 9

Storehouse 9

A former naval storehouse reimagined as a vibrant exhibition space, showcasing art, culture and community projects within a historic dockyard setting.

>
BH7 Dockyard Apprentice

Boathouse 7

A lively heritage space celebrating dockyard apprentices, featuring a museum, café and a collection of early 1900s arcade games for all ages to enjoy.

>
Porter's Garden

Porter’s Garden

A peaceful historic garden offering a quiet escape within the dockyard, where heritage planting and green space invite visitors to relax and explore.

>
Ankle Deep 197

The Old Pay Office

The Old Pay Office is now home to an experimental creative space.

>
College Road 45

19 College Road

Built in 1908 to accommodate the Superintendent of Police, this three storey brick building is now our Head Office.

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Follow Us

Contact

023 9282 0921 info@portsmouthhq.org

Address

19 College Road
HM Naval Base
Portsmouth
PO1 3LJ

Opening Times

Dockyard Site

7 Days a Week
10am - 6pm
Last entry at 4:30pm

Boathouse 4

7 Days a Week
10am - 4:30pm
Last entry at 4pm

Supporters

regional growth fund
heritage fund
culture recovery fund
historic england
department for digital culture
Privacy Policy
Portsmouth Historic Quarter Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England No 1959490 | Charity Registration No 293188 | VAT Registration No 780 8538 94

Contact

023 9282 0921 info@portsmouthhq.org

Address

19 College Road
HM Naval Base
Portsmouth
PO1 3LJ

Opening Times

Dockyard Site

7 Days a Week
10am - 6pm
Last entry at 4:30pm

Boathouse 4

7 Days a Week
10am - 4:30pm
Last entry at 4pm

footer shape
Privacy Policy
Portsmouth Historic Quarter Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England No 1959490 | Charity Registration No 293188 | VAT Registration No 780 8538 94