About
The Royal Navy Submarine Museum at Gosport is one of Britain's most distinctive and exhilarating heritage attractions — the only museum in the United Kingdom dedicated to the history and story of the Royal Navy's submarine service. Since its founding in 1963, the museum has built the world's most comprehensive collection relating to submarine history, from the very first clumsy submersibles of the early twentieth century to the nuclear-powered hunters of the Cold War era.
At the heart of the museum's collection is HMS Alliance, the only surviving Second World War-era submarine of her type in Britain and one of the most important historic vessels in the country. Built in 1945, Alliance served for over 25 years as a working submarine before becoming the centrepiece of the museum. Visitors can board Alliance and walk through her pressure hull — an experience that is at once claustrophobic and extraordinary. The cramped crew spaces, the torpedo tubes, the control room with its tangle of pipes and gauges, and the tiny galley all communicate the reality of life beneath the surface in a way no display case could replicate. HMS Alliance is now fully preserved in a purpose-built covered enclosure that has stabilised and protects the historic vessel for future generations.
The museum also displays the X24 midget submarine, used in one of the most daring Special Forces operations of the Second World War — the X-Craft attack on the German battleship Tirpitz in a Norwegian fjord in 1943. The X-Craft campaign is one of the most remarkable stories in naval history, and the display of X24 alongside accounts of the operation provides a gripping insight into underwater special operations.
Most extraordinarily, the museum holds Holland 1 — Britain's first submarine, launched in 1901 and recently conserved and restored. The contrast between this tiny, pioneering vessel and the massive nuclear submarines of the Cold War period encapsulates more than a century of extraordinary technological development in submarine design.
The museum's galleries trace the human as well as technical story of the submarine service — the extraordinary courage and professionalism of the men (and now women) who serve in submarines, the role of submarines in both World Wars and the Cold War, and the unique culture of the silent service.
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Highlights
HMS Alliance: Walk Through a WWII Submarine
The centrepiece of the museum, HMS Alliance is the only surviving example of a Second World War-era Royal Navy submarine in Britain. Built in 1945, she served as a working submarine for over 25 years before becoming a museum ship. Visitors can walk through Alliance's complete pressure hull — the control room, torpedo spaces, crew quarters, engine room, and galley — experiencing first-hand the extraordinary cramped conditions in which submariners lived and fought.
The guided tour brings Alliance's history to life with accounts of the men who served aboard her and the missions they undertook.
Holland 1: Britain's First Submarine
Perhaps the most historically significant object in the museum, Holland 1 is Britain's very first submarine, launched in 1901. Named after its American inventor John Philip Holland, this tiny craft — just 63 feet long — was the prototype for the entire British submarine fleet that followed. After sinking in 1913, Holland 1 was raised from the seabed in 1982 and painstakingly conserved.
The contrast between this primitive pioneer and the vast nuclear submarines that her line eventually produced encapsulates over a century of extraordinary engineering development. Her display is a highlight of any visit to Gosport.
X24: The Midget Submarine
On display at the museum is the X24 midget submarine, one of the most extraordinary vessels in the Royal Navy's history. X-Craft were tiny two-man submarines used for special operations — most famously the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz in a Norwegian fjord in 1943, one of the most daring naval operations of the Second World War.
X24 herself was used in an attack on a floating dock in Bergen harbour.
The courage required to crew these tiny vessels in enemy-held waters was extraordinary, and the museum's display does full justice to the men who did so.
The Submarine Service: 1901 to Present
The museum's galleries trace the complete history of the Royal Navy's submarine service from its establishment with Holland 1 in 1901 through to the present-day nuclear deterrent force.
The story is told through original equipment, personal accounts, film footage, scale models, and archival material. Major episodes — the First World War campaign against German shipping, the Mediterranean war of 1941-43, the Cold War patrols of nuclear submarines, and the Falklands conflict — are given detailed and gripping coverage.
The human story of those who chose to serve underwater is central throughout.
Collections
HMS Alliance: The Submarine Experience
The unique guided tour experience of walking through HMS Alliance, Britain's only surviving WWII-era submarine — the centrepiece of the museum.
From Holland 1 to the Nuclear Age
Permanent galleries tracing the complete history of the Royal Navy's submarine service from 1901 to the present, including Holland 1 and X24 on display.
The Silent Service: Life in Submarines
Galleries exploring the human experience of submarine service — the culture, conditions, courage, and community of the men and women of the Royal Navy's submarine arm.
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.