Exhibitions at the City Museum & Records Office

Now open: "A Tale of One City"

The "A Tale of One City" exhibition explores the links between Charles Dickens and life in Portsmouth and Leigh Park today (exhibition opened 28 January 2012). To mark the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens in Portsmouth this interactive exhibition offers an insight into the world of everyday people who lived in Portsmouth during the period when Charles Dickens was alive. Using items from the City’s amazing archives and historic collections, Portsmouth during the time 1812 to 1870 is brought to life and visitors can explore themes such as crime, work, money, health, education and love. Find out how things have changed and which things are surprisingly familiar. It includes original manuscripts written by Dickens himself as well as stories, items and creative work from local people and groups from across the community.

Other exhibitions currently open at the City Museum & Records Office

'No place like Pompey'

What makes Portsmouth unique?

From 26 July 2011

Is it one particular place, the city’s geography, its past or its people?  A new exhibition at the City Museum looks at some of the things that make "Pompey” special. These include the fact that most of Portsmouth lies on an island, the city’s links with the dockyard and the Royal Navy, and the fortifications that made Portsmouth one of the most heavily defended areas in the country.

“Pompey” is a local name for the city of Portsmouth. There are many stories about where the name came from, but the true origin is not certain.

‘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'.

Permanent exhibition

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'

Permanent exhibition

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

Click here to find out more about our involvement in the BBC's "History of the World" project, beginning in January 2010.