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 anchorages and a rendezvous for British shipping
in times of war for over 800 years
Exhibitions now on at the City Museum & Records Office:
Alien Invasion
Until mid-January 2011
A fantastic collection of unmissable sci-fi movie props and costumes.
Click here to find out more - if you dare!
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:
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 sponsored by the Portsmouth-Haifa Friendship Link Committee and supported by 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 some information about the local Jewish Community through history. It is aimed particularly for schools (KS 2 and 3) but sessions are now fully booked. The exhibition is open to general visitors daily between 3.00pm and 5.00pm and at the weekends from 10.00am to 5.00pm.
