The museum building served as the Cumberland House, once the home of the city's Deputy Governor.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle lived in Portsmouth for eight years, during which he wrote 'A Study in Scarlet'.
The collection includes the 'Portsmouth Embroidery', a large-scale needlework project illustrating the history of the city.
The museum holds a significant collection of maritime-themed ceramics and glassware.
The D-Day collection contains personal artifacts and accounts from local residents involved in the 1944 landings.
The site includes a dedicated gallery for contemporary visual arts by local artists.
The Victorian-era architecture remains visible in the design of the main exhibition halls.
Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery is the primary institution dedicated to the social history of the city, housed in the former Cumberland House. The collection features extensive displays on the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who practiced medicine and wrote the first Sherlock Holmes novel in Southsea. Visitors can explore the '1950s Room', a period-accurate recreation of post-war domestic life in Portsmouth. The fine art gallery hosts a significant collection of works depicting the city and its maritime surroundings. Notable exhibits include the extensive collection of decorative arts and memorabilia related to the D-Day landings. The museum also provides detailed insights into the history of the Royal Navy from a civilian perspective.
The central foyer or the period-accurate 1950s living room display.
Check the temporary exhibition schedule online, as the art gallery rotations frequently feature local Portsmouth creators.
Combine your visit with a walk through the nearby Southsea Common for a comprehensive local experience.
Use the interactive displays in the social history galleries to engage children with the collection.
Do not rush through the Sherlock Holmes display, as it contains small, easily missed details about the author's local medical practice.
Closed on Mondays during the off-peak season.
