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The Tank Museum

The Tank Museum

The Tank Museum
5
Military MuseumsSpeciality MuseumsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Tank Museum brings history to life, with the world’s best collection of tanks and explosive live displays. Our exhibitions tell the story of armoured warfare spanning over 100 years of history. Exploring ten powerful exhibitions, you will come face to face with almost 300 armoured vehicles. This unique collection includes the world’s first ever tank, the feared German Tiger and the modern Challenger 2. There are special events going on throughout the year at The Tank Museum including TANKFEST, Tiger Day and the Vintage Christmas Festival and Craft Fayre, as well as special activity programmes during the School Holiday.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • biertonscout1
    Aylesbury, United Kingdom247 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great day out
    Wifey & I always make a point of visiting the tank museum when we are in Weymouth as, despite our numerous times we’ve visited, there’s always something new to see ! They were gearing up for a model Engineering exhibition so there was lots of tables screeching & being dragged by the exhibitors but this didn’t detract for the fun day out it is. Starting from the early days of the Royal Armoured Corps right up to modern times and Operation Herrick and everything in between. A superb day out, as always , with Uber friendly & knowledgable staff. The entrance ticket is valid for one year from date of purchase so we’ll definitely be back!
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 February 2024
  • Melanie Schmitz
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Entertaining day trip to the tank museum
    We made the most of the day and were there for 6 hours (without reading any detailed information boards)! Very good, logical structure of the exhibition. Barrier-free and child-friendly. The toilets - as well as the entire museum - are clean and the two "restaurants" were well set up for a quick (sweet) snack. Lots of tank models, some of them unusual! An absolutely recommendable trip for anyone interested.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 February 2024
  • david b
    Bridlington, United Kingdom53 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brilliant day at the tank museum
    Had a birthday treat to the tank museum on the 19/02/24. My wife paid extra for two private tours. The whole experience was fantastic, the staff were amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed the visit. We had travelled from East Yorkshire. A++
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 22 February 2024
  • Sally S
    Puerto de la Cruz, Spain442 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tanks galore
    If you like tanks, and the history of their development, then make a beeline for this place. A wonderful collection of British, American, German and even a weird French tank. It takes a couple of hours to see it properly, and then there are side exhibits to look at. Lots of parking and lots of disabled spaces too. The only downside was the so-called restaurant, which is more like a canteen, and overrun by schoolchildren when we were there.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 March 2024
  • themint
    Chester, United Kingdom27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great day out for the family
    Lots do and see. Incredible amount of tanks woven into the history of WW1, WW2 and beyond. My young daughter was initially unimpressed at the prospect of trawling around a tank museum but there were plenty of interactive activities, dressing up and even video games interspersed amongst the tanks to keep her happy. The fact you could walk inside some of the tanks was a plus. The Tiger tank was very impressive.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 11 March 2024
  • O’Brien
    Sarratt, United Kingdom73 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Absolutely incredible place
    Visited here with friends and was instantly transported to the front lines of world conflicts, right the way back to ‘Little Willie’. Excellent layout with brilliant immersive experiences like the world war trenches. Allow a lot of time to go around here, the place is huge and there is lots to see. Must see if you are in Dorset. Coffee machine in cafeteria is fate worse than death, but don’t let that put you off! Staff and volunteers are incredibly passionate and informative.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 14 March 2024
  • KaoS M
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tank Museum Delivers Again!
    Another visit to the Tank Museum for me. I love that every time I visit, it has changed around a bit. Some new exhibit, some tanks moved around, some brought out, others put away etc... This time I was part of a group which had the pleasure of a guided tour. Ben rose to the challenge and went above and beyond the call of duty. I think, due to our enthusiasm and interest, Ben went into overdrive; initially promising a 1 hour tour from the First World War to the present day, his passion for tanks and his immense depth and breadth of knowledge shone through, giving us a incredibly detailed, amusing and fascinating tour that lasted 3 hours and 45 minutes. Not once were we disinterested! Granted, we were all keen on tanks and history, but still... what an amazing tour. Thank you Tank Museum, and special mention goes out to Ben. Thank you. Seán
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 19 March 2024
  • shaz h
    Portsmouth, United Kingdom110 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent museum
    We had been looking forward to visiting the tank museum and it certainly did not disappoint. Had to tear my husband away after three hours but we will definitely return another day. We enjoyed seeing the tanks through the different ages. Seeing the enlarged photos on display was very moving. The ww1 display was very thought provoking. Good cafes and shop and good for children of all ages.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 March 2024
  • Dan B
    Tewkesbury, United Kingdom227 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not just a tank museum
    We nearly didn't go but glad we did. I was so surprised how much this had to offer. It's really not just a museum about tanks. It's so much more. We had people aged from 10-80 and everyone enjoyed it. As you would expect there's a lot of tanks but also a lot about the wars in general. A must visit for anyone in the area.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 28 March 2024
  • Amanda B
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun for all the family
    Had a lovely time visiting the tank museum, there really is something for everyone. Our daughter really loved the War Horse exhibit (she has recently read the book) and the brilliant gaming area. The staff were so welcoming and friendly, the shop is amazing too! There is so much to see and do, it really isn't just for the boys!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 31 March 2024
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles5,119 reviews
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AlexTheJock
Wigston, UK3,450 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
My wife, the daughter of an ex-tankie, and myself, an army veteran of twenty-four years’ service, both of us in our late sixties, travelled down from Leicester to visit the museum, and it was so worth the long drive. I initially went online to book the tickets, but could not find a way of getting tickets for myself as I knew that veterans got a discount, so I emailed the museum. I soon got an email back letting me know that I had to buy my ticket on the door, so I went ahead and purchased an adult ticket for my wife at £19.35.

We drove down and easily got parked as there is plenty of space either in the main car park or in the overspill car park over the road.

Buying my veteran’s ticket was easily done at the ticket desk at a cost of £15, and both tickets then allow you access to the museum for a whole year, which is a great offer.

The amount of exhibits is amazing, as is the variety of armoured vehicles on display. We stayed the night before in the vicinity so we were some of the first in the museum, which gave us a better start to wandering around as there were initially few people within the first areas that we covered. Also amazing are the dioramas in which some of the vehicles are displayed. We talked to one of the museum staff who gave us an insight into fighting in the first tanks into production, which was well worth the time we spent listening to it.

The mock battle in the arena was pretty good, but as an ex-squaddie that served throughout the 70s/80s/90s I found the selection of vehicles used for the battle a bit unbelievable, but it was still quite a spectacle that the crowd seemed to enjoy immensely. I’m not trying to take anything away from the display as I know how difficult it will be to set up and run, I’m just saying that maybe the mixture of vehicles could have been better to make it more realistic. I still enjoyed it and took some great photos and video.

This is a great day out and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone.
Written 20 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Julie G
Birmingham, UK9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
Absolutely fabulous day out with the family. We had teenagers and a 9 year old with us and there was so much to do. Everyone was entertained amd this place suites ages from 1-100! From the pyrotechnics and off road Vehicle experience to the interactive video games, there was something to suit everyone. Lots of imaginative play and tonnes of information to be gained. We spent 5 hours there, plus....the bonus, you pay once and it gives you a 12 month pass....so if you are local, you can explore time and time again. And even if you aren't local, it's still well worth a visit.
One of the best museums I have ever visited and the staff were all so friendly and super knowledgeable
A great day out for the family
Written 6 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Daniele B
Florence, Italy123 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • Family
It is probably the largest armored vehicle museum in the world, with some unique pieces and many more restored and marching (to visit during the re-enactment performances in spring/summer!). The exhibition halls (totally indoors) are exceptionally set up with an effective historical framework, clear and synthetic illustrative panels, and interactive activities suitable for children. For a fan of this kind a complete visit requires the entire opening hours (10-17), possible thanks to the presence of a well-stocked diner and at affordable costs. Well-stocked souvenir shop with many nice and fun themed items
Automatically translated
Written 27 December 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cesar_44_40
Spain20 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Friends
This applies strictly for Tankfest, not the museum itself. So, this year is my second time at Tankfest, first being in 2015. Major differences: they sold a lot more tickets, making the experience awful. The only way to see anything was to buy grandstand or VIP tickets. The restaurant, which was free for everybody in 2015 is now only for VIP guests, the rest of us went to huge queues of about 45 minutes for food. Beer was much easier to get. Announcemnts almost non existent this time, the Spitfire and ht eHurricane were supposed to fly at 12:59 according to the schedule after a 30 minute wait without any announcement we gave up. The sun was killing us, in 8 years they made no attempt to provide some form of shade in case of good weather. The conservation center was jam packed with people, basically we were walking in indian file, couldn't stop anywhere to analyse a vehicle or take a photo. You could approach the tanks that were going in the arena back in 2015 now only the VIP ticket owners could.go near them. It was so bad and so disappointing that we gave up coming the next day, on Sunday, even though we had tickets (bought in January). My advice: avoid Tankfest like the plague, it is a shyteshow now.
Written 28 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jane B
Nottingham, UK81 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Couples
We went for the Sunday of ‘Tankfest’ with VIP tickets which I would highly recommend, though the cost was quite high. The event was excellent, and we very much enjoyed the day. Seeing the tanks moving was very interesting.
Written 24 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vicky T
Berkhamsted England8 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Couples
I visited the Tank Museum with my husband on the morning of the 28th April 2024. We were very disappointed with their entrance fees. At nearly £22.00 per person admission charge we enquired about concessions. There are no concessions for the retired (we are in our 70s) and no military concession for service in the RNR. We spoke with Steve the deputy manager who told us that military concessions only apply to Army (not Air Force or Naval) service. This should be made clear on their admission details. Also we only wanted to spend an hour or two in the museum & a reduced rate for short visits would be helpful.
We left feeling very let down, but luckily the sun came out & for a £6 parking fee we enjoyed visiting Lulworth & Durdle Door at a fraction of the Tank Museum cost.
Written 7 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roger W
Cirencester, UK240 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Family
A super day out which we all enjoyed.
A few minor points: it is expensive. The brochure which advertises the Museum doesn't quote the price, which should have been informative in itself. After we left, both of us had a sense of disorientation: the difficulty, in hindsight, of having a theme, a time-line. Maybe it was there, but we couldn't see it.
Written 3 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

darceyhorse
Swansea, UK236 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
We have been meaning to visit the tank museum for years but live quite far away. We were really pleased we managed to get round to it today!

We paid around £40 for two adults and one child ticket. This included a discount for booking online.

Parking was free and there was plenty of space when we arrived about 20 minutes after opening; although, it was already busy when we got there.

The layout of the museum is great. We couldn’t believe how big it was! There are footsteps on the floor to show you which way to go, but there is plenty of opportunity to make your way around in the order you choose.

There is so much to see. We didn’t expect there to be quite so many tanks. There was something to interest all of us. We all particularly enjoyed the social history aspects and husband and child liked learning the differences between each vehicle.

We visited on a day where they had the outdoor display and thought this was the highlight of the visit.

The staff were all so friendly. There was a restaurant and cafe, but you were welcome to take your own picnic too.

You can easily make this a full day out for all the family and we’d recommend a visit to anyone, regardless of whether they have a particular interest in tanks.

One of the best museums we’ve been to.
Written 26 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jo O
Battle, UK12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
We have a brilliant day here stayed over 6 hours and still missed seeing the conservation centre as we had so much fun in the main museum, something else to see another time!
It is set out in a really interesting way, it’s engaging for everyone with multiple things to do with the kids.
We didn’t do the tank ride as our daughter was too short, again something to do another time but we did watch the tanks in action while enjoying a picnic in the sun.
Thoroughly recommend the Tank Museum, my husband and I agree that it’s the best museum we have visited, great value for money.
Much better than the NH or the Science museums in London, which we always feel haven’t been updated since we were kids!
Lovely friendly staff and not over crowded.
Written 23 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

querty123
South45 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
Can honestly say this is the best museum that we’ve ever visited, both my 4 and 8 year old were adamant on this! We spent nearly 6 hours here and still didn’t see all the exhibits. We did the kids stamp trail, plus time in the soft play and outdoor play area, but also loved seeing the different tanks and how they have developed over time. The 8 year old loved the details and finding out about them and the 4 year old loved the interactive exhibits and play tables. Really something for everyone here. Volunteers really bring stories to life and engage the children. Tanks in action display also great to see and hear how a tank moves and sounds, plus some pyrotechnics to add excitement. Also worth a look in the conservation centre - the sight and smell of over 100 tanks in the warehouse is really memorable. We borrowed a sensory backpack (available from the information point) which contained bits and pieces to help our eldest throughout the day. What was great was that even though it was busy, there is so much space between exhibits that you never feel rushed or squashed in. Cannot recommend this place enough!!
Written 21 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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The Tank Museum, Bovington

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