Museums
SeaCity Museum
Southampton’s must-visit attraction is SeaCity Museum, which tells the story of the people of Southampton through the ages, their fascinating lives and the city’s historic connection with the sea.
The Pavilion – Special Exhibition Area
The Pavilion, the iconic building attached to SeaCity Museum, houses our special exhibitions. This Autumn/Winter, the Pavilion plays host to Visions of the Universe – Leave our blue planet on a voyage beyond imagination and discover the beauty abundant in our colossal Universe.
Visions of the Universe shows how we have captured images of the heavens, from the earliest hand-drawings to photographs taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and the very latest footage from the Mars Curiosity Rover. Visit our moon, our sun, our near planets and beyond into the far off galaxies of deep space. SeaCity Museum is open daily 10am – 5pm. Visit www.seacitymuseum.co.uk for ticket prices.
Southampton’s Titanic Story
The most famous ship in the world, the RMS Titanic, pulled away from White Star Dock in Southampton at the start of her maiden voyage on 10 April, 1912. In the early hours of 15 April she struck an iceberg and sank, causing great loss of life.
More than 500 households in Southampton lost at least one family member; the city was devastated. This exhibition tells their story.
Southampton – Gateway to the World
Southampton has unique historic connections and Gateway to the World recounts the stories of people who have departed from or arrived in the port of Southampton over the last 200,000 years with themes of invaders and settlers, traders, exiles and soldiers.
Solent Sky Museum
Solent Sky is an independent charity which has preserved aviation heritage in Southampton for 40 years. Southampton is the “City of the Spitfire“, and our museum is located just a stone’s throw from the original Supermarine factory where this legendary aircraft was designed and built. Solent Sky celebrates the history of the 26 local aircraft manufacturers – some famous, some obscure – whose work made the Solent region the centre of the world for aircraft research and development.
Southampton Water was also the location of the Imperial Airways flying boat ports.
In the days when the British Empire spanned the globe, and air travel was still adventurous, magnificent flying cruise-liners carried their glamorous passengers to all corners of the world on week-long flights to the Empire.
Our prize exhibit, the Sandringham flying boat, is one of just a handful remaining in the world, and Solent Sky is proud to invite you to experience the luxury of the passenger cabins and the dramatic surroundings of the flight deck. Solent Sky’s maritime aircraft collection also includes the record-breaking Schneider Trophy racer, the Supermarine S6A.
The Schneider Trophy was hosted on Southampton Water several times, with wildly experimental aircraft flying twice as fast as the best RAF fighters of the day. The Schneider Trophy was a vital medium for research into high speed flight, which led directly to the development of the Spitfire and the Rolls Royce Merlin engine. Our special Schneider Trophy exhibition includes film footage of the races, a replica of the trophy itself, as well as the S6A aircraft.
With over 20 airframes and as many engines in one enormous space, Solent Sky is packed with local history of national importance. The museum is open all year round and further information can be sought by calling 02380 635830 or emailing aviation@spitfireonline.co.uk. Also, visit our website at www.solentskymuseum.org
