Category: News

The Hovercraft Museum Achieves Arts Council Accreditation

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The Hovercraft Museum is pleased to announce that it has achieved full accredited status with Arts Council England.


Administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the UK Accreditation Partnership, Accreditation is the benchmark for well-run Museums and Galleries.


It means that The Hovercraft Museum is properly managed and governed to the nationally agreed industry standard and shows the museum takes proper care of its collections, sharing them with visitors and keeping them safe for future generations.


Accreditation opens up exciting funding opportunities, allows museums to host touring exhibitions and gives access to professional advice and support. It also gives confidence to donors and sponsors who may wish to support the museum in preserving heritage and inspiring future generations.


Accreditation covers museums of all types and sizes – from the smallest volunteer-run museums to national museums – and more than 1,700 museums are currently taking part in the scheme across the UK.
More information about the Accreditation scheme can be found here.


“We are absolutely delighted and honoured to receive the notification that the museum has been awarded Accredited status.  It is an amazing result and a true representation of the journey the museum has been on over the past few years.”

Louise Jenkins, Chair of Trustees at The Hovercraft Museum

First Aid Training at the Hovercraft Museum

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Recently some of the volunteers at the Hovercraft Museum in Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire completed a one-day First Aid training course. We try to have a first aider on site at the museum at all times to help visitors, volunteers and passing members of the public when required.

For some of the course participants it was a refresher on current best practice whilst for some it was a complete introduction. Topics covered included what is expected of a first aider, how to assess the situation and then practical treatment options including the Recovery Position, CPR and bandage application.

A big thank you to Ken Wheeler for taking on the role of course instructor and to the volunteers for giving their time so generously.

Would you like to use our location and resources to provide First Aid training to your organisation? We may be a cost-effective option, learn in our unique seaside environment and support our charitable organisation. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.

New Aerial Photography thanks to Solent Sky Services

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At the recent Daedalus Waterfront event held at the museum we were privileged to have the team from Solent Sky Services on site and covering the event on behalf of Montserrat Events. Whilst aerial footage was not originally part of the brief, Mike couldn’t resist getting his drone on. With permission and appropriate authorisation of course.

So here we have to share with you a selection of stills which show the museum from the air. Plus a bonus of Darren and his mini.

Photo of The Hovercraft Museum from the air. Looking South East Towards Portsmouth.
Looking South East Towards Portsmouth
Photo of The Hovercraft Museum from the air. View North West Towards Southampton
View North West Towards Southampton
Photo of The Hovercraft Museum from the air. Historic Buildings of HMS Daedalus. The Wardroom, Officers Mess and Westcliff Hall
Historic Buildings of HMS Daedalus. The Wardroom, Officers Mess and Westcliff Hall
Photo of The Hovercraft Museum from the air.
View of the Hovercraft Museum
Photo of The Hovercraft Museum from the air. SR.N6 “Super 6” cuddling up to her big cousin.
SR.N6 “Super 6” cuddling up to her big cousin
The Hover MIni
The Hover Mini
Photo of The Hovercraft Museum from the air. The Princess Anne hovercraft, the last remaining SRN4 Mountbatten class listed on the Historic Ships Register.
The Princess Anne, Swift Cockpit and Display Hangar

Please contact us for licensing details and higher resolution assets if you would like to use them.

Bring your group to the museum for a private tour

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Did you know that we regularly open especially for School and Kids groups? Last week we were glad to welcome the 31st Itchen North Cubs, 1st Titchfield Beavers and the 1st Swanmore Beavers. Our head volunteer guide Alan loved answering their questions and showing them around the collection and they had a great time!

Highlights of a visit include

  • Fun and Informative tour of the collection
  • Exploring and sitting in the jewel of our collection the largest commercial hovercraft ever the SR.N4 “Princess Anne”
  • The option of doing our quiz as you explore the museum in smaller groups
  • Photo opportunity sitting in the pilot seat of James Bond’s hovercraft for each child.
  • A goodybag to take home with you.

Our volunteers work hard to make the visits as fun and informative as possible and we are working to create an education centre/classroom.

If you would be interested in bringing your group to the museum for a private tour get in contact!
Grown-ups groups are also allowed to book as long as you promise to behave yourselves.

‘The Princess Anne’ SR.N4 Joins Jubilee Salute

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On Saturday June 4th 2022 to mark the Platinum Jubilee our historic hovercraft joined in the midday seventy second salute to Her Majesty the Queen. The jewel of our collection of over 50 hovercraft, this is the first time the klaxon of ‘The Princess Anne’ the only surviving Hovercraft of her type has been heard in years.

The Jubilee Salute

At noon throughout the Solent, Portsmouth Harbour and the country ships sounded their horns in Salute to the the seventy year rein of Queen Elizabeth II. It is thank to the hard work of volunteer restorers at the Hovercraft Museum that the horn of this craft was able to be sounded.

Watch ‘The Princess Anne’ join the Ships Salute

Help us save this historic craft

‘The Princess Anne’ is the last of the Saunder-Roe N4 Mountbatten class hovercraft left in existence, the largest civil hovercraft ever put into service she used to transport cars and passengers across the channel. She arrived in Lee-on-the-Solent along with ‘The Princess Margaret’ which was sadly torn apart in front of our eyes in 2018. She appears on the Historic Ships Register alongside other craft in our collection. It’s only thanks to the dedication of volunteers and their SRN4 Restoration work that she is still with us.

Did you know?

In 2019 HRH Princess Anne visited the museum and her namesake craft?
Read more: HRH The Princess Royal visits her namesake at the Hovercraft Museum

About the Hovercraft Musuem

Support our registered charity and secure our future by visiting Saturdays 10am to 4pm. Visit our Cafe, Ice Cream and Gift shop. We are proud to be family and dog friendly. Free on street parking at the moment and guided tours throughout the day.

Little Hover World

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From Saturday 7th August “Little Hover World” arrives at the Hovercraft Museum – our younger visitors will need to keep their eyes peeled around the museum to see where all of our little helpers are working!

National Volunteers Week 2021

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National Volunteers Week is where we get to say an absolutely massive THANK YOU to our incredible team who work very hard year-round to ensure that our…
– shop is stocked
– tickets are sold
– grass is mowed
– accounts are kept
– staff are trained
– craft are painted
– engines are repaired
– toilets are cleaned
– archives are sorted
– visitors are guided
– collection is managed
Like so many organisations in the UK, we cannot exist without our volunteers. The Hovercraft Museum, which is a registered charity, has no paid staff and is entirely independent, purely funded by donations and ticket sales.
Would you like to get involved with the Team as a volunteer?
Drop us a message via the website, call us 0n 02392 552090, or enquire at the Ticket Office any Saturday between 10am and 4pm when we are open to the public. We would love to speak to you!

#volunteersweek2021

Hovercraft Rides Are Back!

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On Sunday 20th June not only are we open for an extra day that weekend but Hovertravel Ltd are back providing unique flights around the Solent from the Hovercraft Museum!

These flights are very popular so booking is strongly advised. Tickets can be purchased from Ryde or Southsea terminals, the Museums ticket office at Lee-on-the-Solent or by clicking on the “Excursions” tab at www.hovertravel.co.uk

Museum to Re-Open Saturday 22nd May

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After the Government announcement on Monday that all museums can now re-open as of May 17th, we are delighted to announce we will be opening on Saturday 22nd May (and all subsequent Saturday’s thereafter)

We aim to have a summer season full of events and activities including the return of Hovertravel Ltd to provide pleasure flights around the Solent from our slipway on selected dates. Our volunteers will continue to get the collection ready for you to visit and we can’t wait to be able to welcome you through the gates once again!

The Trustees & Volunteers