Category: News

The Hovercraft Museum were delighted to host TV production company TwoFour Broadcast Ltd for a segment of a program on hovercraft in their new series of ‘Impossible Engineering’, due to broadcast later this year on UKTV network channels.

Despite being closed to the public for several months our volunteers have worked hard to prepare the site to look tidy for filming so we would like to say a big Thank You to all who helped with the preparation. We would also like to thank Griffon Hoverwork Ltd who supplied a 380TD for the ‘on-water’ part of the filming. We’ll keep you all updated on the broadcast date!

On the 26th and 27th of May 2019 you can visit The Hovercraft Museum and take a trip in a Hovercraft at a discounted rate!  For the price of only £20 for adults, and £10 for children you can take a 15 Minute Spin Around Lee-on-The-Solent Waters AND experience a Historic Hovercraft adventure exploring The Hovercraft Museum.

Rides will be occurring at 11:00, 11:30 & 14:00 on the 26th & 27th May.  Call Hovertravel on 01983 717700 to book these tickets in advance, or buy your tickets on the day*.

*Tickets are bought on the day on a first-come-first-serve basis so please plan ahead!

In addition to being a unique museum in our own right, we are now unique for a different reason as we have just had our BH7 Hovercraft added to the national ships register alongside such famous vessels such as HMS Victory and The Mary Rose.

Did you know that we now have FOUR craft listed on the National Historic Ships’ Register – a feat we don’t believe has been achieved by any other museum in the UK!

The craft listed are:

• SRN4 “The Princess Anne”
• BH7
• SRN5 “006”
• SRN6 “Sea Hawk”

To make it even more special in 2019 both BH7 and The Princess Anne will be 50 years old. Why not celebrate by paying a visit and seeing once again these magnificent craft.

Come by and visit us on New Years Day 2019 – we’ll be open 12pm to 4pm

Santa is adding to his already busy schedule this Christmas by making a very special visit to the Hovercraft Museum on Saturday 15th December.  Santa will be giving out gifts (and coal) free of charge between 10:00 and 12:00.

Normal entry prices apply and include a Santa visit and gift at no extra cost.  Santa’s time is limited and is on a “first come, first serve” basis so don’t miss out.  We hope to see you soon!

Earlier last year Flog It! visited us at Lee on the Solent to shoot a segment for series 16 – with presenter Paul Martin even taking a ride on a hovercraft!  You can watch this episode live on BBC1 this Monday (3rd December 2018) at 16:30.  The episode will be available for 28 days after this broadcast on BBC iPlayer.  We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed filming it!

We have recently joined the Gosport Lottery which supports many local causes including ourselves.  Please consider supporting us and the local community with a small weekly, or one-time play, and have the chance to win a grand prize of £25,000, among other smaller prizes, in the process!

For every ticket sold in support of the Hovercraft Museum we directly get 40% of the ticket revenue with a further 20% going to the other charitable causes supported by The Gosport Lottery.  Furthermore, the chances of winning a prize is 1 in 50 for each ticket played in a week.  The Trust will use the proceeds raised to help preserve the Princess Anne which is the last surviving cross-channel hovercraft.  The proceeds will also aid in establishing a learning zone on “The Anne” to support the local community and provide a space to provide hovercraft related education.

To play follow this link or head to the Gosport Lottery website and search for “The Hovercraft Museum Trust”.  Your ticket will benefit The Hovercraft Museum Trust, the local community, and hopefully make you a winner!

We are very excited to announce that “The Princess Anne” is now on the National Historic Ships Register!

Many thanks indeed go to all at National Historic Ships UK for their help in this important process of recognising the historic significance of the largest commercial hovercraft ever built and, of course, many thanks to our volunteers who work tirelessly to preserve not only this craft but also another 55 in the collection.

Follow the progress of “Anne” on our sister Facebook page, SRN4 Restoration and check out the other vessels on the registers at www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk

You can come and visit The Princess Anne and climb aboard any Saturday between 10am and 4pm.