About
The Britannia Museum, formally the Britannia Royal Naval College Museum and Archives, occupies a former Cadet Gunroom within the working Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon, the Royal Navy's principal officer training establishment since the college's iconic red-brick buildings, designed by the architect Sir Aston Webb, opened on the hill above the River Dart in 1905.
Opened to the public in 1999 by the Duke of Edinburgh, himself a former Dartmouth cadet, the museum traces the college's history from its origins aboard the training hulks HMS Britannia and HMS Hindostan moored on the river in the nineteenth century, through to its present role preparing generations of Royal Navy and allied nation officers for service at sea.
Because the museum sits inside an active military training establishment rather than a conventional standalone building, visiting is necessarily different from a typical museum trip: public access is by pre-booked guided tour only, running from Easter through the end of October on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons, with tours booked in advance through the Dartmouth Information Centre rather than the college directly.
All visitors aged sixteen and over must bring accepted photographic identification, such as a passport, driving licence, military identification or police warrant card, reflecting the site's continuing operational security requirements, and step-free access is limited given the historic nature of the buildings involved.
Displays draw on the college's substantial archive and collection to cover uniforms, medals, ship models, ceremonial silver and photographs spanning well over a century of officer training, alongside material relating to the many members of the Royal Family who trained at Dartmouth, including Prince Philip, whose own cadetship there in the late 1930s coincided with his first meeting with the young Princess Elizabeth during a royal visit, as well as King Charles III, Prince Andrew and Prince William in later decades.
The museum's setting within a still-functioning officer training college, complete with cadets in training during term time, gives a visit an unusually immediate and living quality rarely found in institutional military museums, where the history on display connects directly and visibly to the college's ongoing present-day purpose.
Visitors typically combine a Britannia Museum tour with wider exploration of Dartmouth's dramatic riverside setting, its historic town centre and its two nearby Tudor and Napoleonic-era fortifications guarding the mouth of the Dart, making the museum one strand within a naturally rich day of maritime and military heritage in this corner of South Devon.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
💡 Visitor Tips
- Book your tour well in advance through the Dartmouth Information Centre, as places on the Wednesday and Sunday afternoon tours are limited.
- Bring accepted photographic identification for every visitor aged sixteen and over, as tours cannot proceed without it.
- Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing, as parts of the tour route may involve outdoor walking within the college grounds.
- Arrive in good time at the agreed meeting point, since tours depart promptly and cannot wait for latecomers.
- Combine your visit with Dartmouth's historic town centre and waterfront, both a short walk from the college.
- Note that step-free access is limited within the historic college buildings, so contact the Information Centre in advance if you have mobility requirements.
- Bring a camera for the college's striking hillside views over the River Dart.
- Check the current season's tour dates before travelling, as tours run only from Easter to the end of October.
Highlights
The Cadet Gunroom Setting
The museum occupies a former Cadet Gunroom within the working Britannia Royal Naval College, giving visitors the unusual experience of exploring naval history inside a building that continues to train serving Royal Navy officers today, with cadets frequently visible going about their training during term time.
Sir Aston Webb's Edwardian College Building
The college's imposing red-brick buildings, designed by architect Sir Aston Webb and opened in 1905, dominate the hillside above the River Dart and are themselves a significant example of Edwardian institutional architecture, replacing the training hulks HMS Britannia and HMS Hindostan previously moored on the river below.
Royal Family Naval Training Displays
Displays trace the training of several generations of the Royal Family at Dartmouth, including Prince Philip's 1939 cadetship, during which he first met the young Princess Elizabeth on a royal visit, alongside material relating to King Charles III, Prince Andrew and Prince William's own periods of training at the college.
Uniforms and Ceremonial Silver Collection
The museum's collection includes historic naval uniforms, medals and ceremonial silver accumulated over the college's long history, offering insight into the customs, ranks and traditions that have shaped Royal Navy officer culture since the training hulk era of the nineteenth century.
Collections
The Britannia Museum's collection documents the history of the Britannia Royal Naval College from its nineteenth-century origins aboard training hulks moored on the River Dart through to its present role as the Royal Navy's principal officer training establishment. Holdings include uniforms, medals, ceremonial silver, ship models and an extensive photographic archive spanning more than a century, alongside material relating to the numerous members of the Royal Family who trained at Dartmouth.
As the museum sits within a still-active military training college, its displays connect directly to the institution's ongoing purpose, giving the collection an unusually immediate and living character compared with more conventional naval heritage museums.
From Training Hulks to Dartmouth Hill
The college's origins aboard HMS Britannia and HMS Hindostan and its 1905 move into Sir Aston Webb's purpose-built buildings.
Royal Naval Cadets
Uniforms, photographs and personal material relating to generations of Royal Navy officers, including several members of the Royal Family, trained at Dartmouth.
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.