Excited families embrace new Royal Marines Museum on opening day

Large crowds gathered to explore the new museum

Happy families and children embraced the new Royal Marines Museum when it opened this weekend.

Visitors flocked to the former Action Stations site at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Saturday (October 24). The Museum, described as an “experience”, promises to showcase the 360 years of the Corps through interactive experiences and poignant displays.

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Thanks to the fully funded £15m project - backed by The National Lottery and other doners - the new site opened its doors around nine years since the previous museum shut in Eastney. Visitors got stuck into the interactive experiences such as the push up and pull up challenges, playing the drums like the Royal Marines band, traversing the climbing wall and getting stuck into close-quarter combat on the VR machines.

Others dug deep into the story of the Royal Marines through the extensive exhibits in the centre of the building, and reflected on those who came before them in the Remembrance room. Here are a selection of pictures from opening day, and further images showing other parts of the site.

13. Opening day of Royal Marines Museum

Phillip and Kerrie Robinson from Northern Ireland. Mr Robinson is holding up a picture of his father who was a Royal Marine in WWII. Chris Moorhouse (241026-087) | Chris Moorhouse (241026-087)