Once
upon a time,
before the town of Portsmouth was founded, this coastline was made
up of creeks, low-lying marsh and water. Over the centuries the coastline
has altered, but the town's position here on the south coast, its
proximity to the open sea, coupled with control of the harbour and
its entrance, have secured Portsmouth's place in history as one of
the world's great anchoranges and a rendevouz for British shipping
in times of war for over 800 years
The Birth of British Rock: photographs by Harry Hammond
A touring exhibition from the V&A Theatre Collection, featuring 100 photographs of many of the rock 'n' roll stars of the 50s and 60s. Includes three interactive exhibits and a collection of original Portsmouth pop memorabilia.
Runs until 6 June 2010
Beauty of Shape - Abstract Art
Showcases a wide range of British twentieth century abstract art from our permanent collections.
Vibrant colours, optical illusions, intricate shapes and mind-boggling geometry provide a real delight for the visitor. Over sixty items have been brought together from Portsmouth Museums & Records Service’s own collections. Paintings, prints and sculpture by internationally famous names such as Sir Henry Moore, Sir Anthony Caro and Sir Terry Frost are on show. Furniture, ceramics, textiles and glass by modern British artists are included. Portsmouth has long had a thriving contemporary art scene and the work of several local artists is also included. Many of the artists included in our exhibition were actively involved in art teaching in the city, contributing to the development of British art.
‘Football in the City: A space in the heart of Portsmouth’
Football in the City is an exciting and interactive permanent gallery space devoted to the 'beautiful game'.
The gallery space will be regularly changed and updated with new material. Currently on display are rare items such as both footballs from the 1939 and 2008 FA Cup Finals alongside contemporary exhibits such as an interactive video system allowing people to record their memories and stories about football.
The Arthur Conan Doyle Collection, Richard Lancelyn Green Bequest
'A Study in Sherlock: Uncovering The Arthur Conan Doyle Collection'
A permanent exhibition of this international Collection has now been created at Portsmouth City Museum, in a newly refurbished gallery of its own.
The display explores further the life of Arthur Conan Doyle and the creation of Sherlock Holmes. It features a range of interactive displays, a ‘new’ Sherlock Holmes mystery, and narration by Stephen Fry, the Patron of the Collection. Come and experience the world of Sherlock Holmes and fine-tune your own powers of detection!
To find out more about the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection please click here
Forthcoming exhibitions:
Alien Invasion
A fantastic collection of unmissable sci-fi movie props and costumes.
26 June 2010 until mid-January 2011
Jewish Way of Life Exhibition
Friday 2nd July to Tuesday 20th July
The Board of Deputies of British Jews will be bringing its Jewish Way of Life Exhibition to the City Museum. It is supported by the Portsmouth-Haifa Friendship Link Committee and members of the local community.
The Jewish Way of Life Exhibition offers a simple and clear overview of what it means to live a Jewish way of life. It also offers information about the local Jewish Community through history. It will be of interest to both general visitors and particularly to schools (KS 2 and 3). We are currently taking bookings for school group visits with time slots of 10.00am to 11.30am and 12.30pm to 14.30pm. To find out more please contact our bookings team on 023 92827261
