Museums & Galleries
Southampton has a rich and fascinating history, making it a wonderful place to explore and experience amazing culture. You can delve into the city’s incredible past and art at its museums and galleries. These cultural venues are perfect for family outings, trips with friends, or even a little time to yourself.
Located in the heart of Southampton, SeaCity Museum serves as the city's hub for maritime history and life. Its exhibitions share captivating stories about the people of the city, their fascinating lives, and Southampton's historical connections with the Titanic and the sea. You can engage with interactive activity areas, visually striking displays, and memorable firsthand accounts. The popular exhibitions transport you back to the Titanic’s fateful voyage, reveal thousands of years of the port's vibrant and diverse history, and showcase the city’s past through local archaeology and archives. SeaCity Museum makes maritime history accessible and engaging for all ages.
In the centre of Southampton’s Cultural Quarter, the Southampton City Art Gallery boasts one of the finest collections of art in southern England, featuring over 5,300 works from the Renaissance to the present day. The collection includes pieces from renowned artists such as J.M.W. Turner, Auguste Rodin, and L.S. Lowry, among others.
The gallery includes:
Main Hall Exhibitions: A rotating display that showcases the gallery's internationally acclaimed permanent collection.
From the Renaissance to the Present Day: Highlights from Southampton's collections.
Foyer Exhibition: A changing program of exhibitions featuring local and emerging artists, alongside community and arts groups.
Step back in Time and discover over 800 years of history at Tudor House & Garden, located in the heart of the Old Town. This timber-framed building facing St. Michael’s Square was built in the late 15th century. Adjacent to it, King John’s Palace—a Norman house accessible from Tudor House Garden—dates back another 300 years. Tudor House & Garden provides a unique and immersive insight into the lives of its residents over the centuries and the history of Southampton itself. It appeals to visitors of all ages, offering family-friendly activities, interactive technology, and engaging displays.
John Hansard Gallery, part of the University of Southampton, is an internationally recognised contemporary art gallery that aims to make a positive impact through great art. The gallery curates innovative and critically acclaimed exhibitions and engages in research projects that excite, challenge, and reach a wide public audience.
God's House Tower (GHT) is a unique arts venue housed in a 700-year-old monument in the Old Town of Southampton. GHT collaborates with historians and artists to interpret the city’s heritage creatively, using history as inspiration for both emerging and established artists throughout the South Coast. Their art, projects, and events reimagine the hidden stories of Southampton’s Old Town.
The Solent Sky Museum is a must-visit destination for aviation enthusiasts. It showcases the region's rich aviation history, including the iconic Spitfire. Kids can climb into cockpits and learn about the courageous pilots who took to the skies. Between 1910 and 1960, Hampshire and the Solent region were the epicentre of aviation research and development. More than 26 aircraft manufacturers established operations here, producing everything from biplanes to spacecraft, including the legendary Spitfire.
The museum highlights the incredible story of aviation in Hampshire, featuring more than 20 aircraft from the golden age of aviation. Visitors can sit in jet fighter cockpits and explore the giant Sandringham Flying Boat. Additionally, Solent Sky now includes the Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust Exhibition, which illustrates the rich history of the Police and Fire Services in Hampshire.
Discover stories from Southampton's museums and archives online! A new website—www.southamptonstories.co.uk —created by Southampton’s Cultural Services, with financial support from Arts Council England, is now available to the public. The site reveals stories of the city through its museum and archive collections. Users can explore over 1,000 objects from the collections, with new stories and objects being added over time, increasing public access to these rich collections.
The stories featured on the website include notable individuals with connections to Southampton, such as female footballer Sue Buckett, the goalkeeper for the Saints women’s FA Cup winning side, and Aman Dosanj, the first British Asian to play for England. The site also tells the tragic story of Sidney Sedunary, a Titanic steward, and the tale of Basque refugee children who arrived in Southampton on the steamship Habana in 1937, fleeing the Spanish Civil War.
Southampton Cultural Services oversees four unique collections, including a maritime and local history collection that tells the story of Southampton, an archaeology collection, and an archive containing material from 1199 to the present day. Additionally, there is an internationally renowned fine art collection. Both the archaeology and fine art collections hold Designated status from Arts Council England, reflecting their national significance.
