A first glimpse of new Royal Marines Experience Museum which is replacing Action Stations at historic dockyard

The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) has applied to Portsmouth City Council for listed building consent to make internal changes to Boathouse 6 which would see the ground floor accommodate “experientially-driven” exhibition space telling the story of the Royal Marine Corps as well as a Remembrance room.

The first floor would house a relocated Marine-themed laser quest area, and special exhibition space, and the second floor would continue to be the cinema auditorium as well as office space and conference facilities.

However, the facilities currently within Action Stations which are popular with families such as its climbing walls, Ocean Warrior assault course and Sky Tykes adventure will be lost.

Despite this, the Royal Navy Museum has said that the new-look space will be better for visitors with Action Stations, now only open at weekends and in the school holidays, set to close on February 23 after the half term.

The application said: “The proposals include dramatically improved visitor facilities to those currently available within the building.

“The new programme for the building has been grounded in new audience research by the NMRN and the mix of visitor facilities now proposed within the building address issues of audience diversity both in the structure of the new Royal Marines Experience Museum and also in the extent to which flexible programme of both exhibitions and events will be possible.

“As a result, the extraordinarily significant built heritage of Boathouse 6, it’s astonishing structure and unique historical patina will be better cared for and better presented to a wider range of visitors, enable greater public understanding and appreciation of the building itself and its context within the Dockyard.”

As previously reported by The News, the new Royal Marines Museum Experience will replace the former museum in Eastney Barracks which closed and sold off by the Ministry of Defence in 2017, although the Yompers Memorial currently remains in its original position at the entrance of of the museum’s former home. A planning application has since been submitted to convert the space into a hotel.

The project has cleared the first hurdle of securing £4.9million of Lottery funding towards the project. The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) has also secured funds and pledges of more than £6million, leaving it needing £3.5million to fully fund the project if the Lottery bid clears the second stage.

To view or comment on the plans search for application 24/01529/LBC in the Portsmouth City Council planning portal.