Beloved Action Stations at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to close ahead of new Royal Marines Museum launch

The interactive experience in Boathouse 6 - which also houses climbing walls, Laser Quest, a cinema and other amenities - will be shutting down on February 23, 2025. Work will start on building a new museum at the 1840s Grade II* listed building next year.

A statement posted on the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Facebook page said: “This closure marks the start of a significant transformation as we prepare the space for the highly anticipated Royal Marines Museum, set to open in the summer of 2026. This exciting redevelopment allows us to create an even more engaging and dynamic experience that will honour the history, dedication and bravery of the Royal Marines. We look forward to sharing this inspiring journey with you as we bring their remarkable story to life.”

Action Stations showcased the physical activities and challenged faced by Royal Navy sailors. Existing exhibits will be ripped out and redesigned, with much of the innards being changed to house new galleries, interactive experiences and activities - all focused on the history of the Royal Marines. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard confirmed that although the No6 cinema will temporarily close, it will reopen once the project is completed and will continue to show the latest film releases.

The new museum will be the first location to showcase the Royal Marines, which have been without a building to tell their 360-year-long story since their former museum in Eastney closed in 2017. It was deemed unsuited to to being a modern 21st century tourist building.

The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) was able to put together plans for the new location, which was granted nearly £5m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund last year. A total of £9.5m was needed for the project. When the new museum reopens, visitors will be encouraged to take on a number of tasks to test their physical and mental capabilities to be a Royal Marines Commando. The building will also be used by serving and former Royal Marines for events, reunions and functions.