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Welcome to Cumberland House - The Natural History Museum

Entrance to Cumberland House Natural History Museum is FREE!

Portsmouth is a very special place for wildlife in Britain. It has many different habitats in a very small area, and at Portsmouth Natural History Museum you can explore them all.

The museum tells the story of the wild things of the riverbank, marshes, woods and urban areas of Portsmouth. Have a look for the heron stalking its prey and the Brent geese coming into land after their 3000 km flight from the arctic. You can also learn about Portsmouth's geology and take a look at some specimens from ancient times. The displays are designed to allow visitors a view of the natural world as they could never see it in real life - up close and in depth.

Portsmouth Natural History Museum also houses an aquarium and butterfly house. The butterflies fly from May to September, and fish swim all year round. Also look out for the axolotls, Ebony and Ivory, and the other live insects on display.

School Trips

There is plenty to do on your visit to Cumberland House and lots of links to National Curriculum topics.
Discover the habitats of Portsmouth. See butterflies from May to September and look out for other live specimens. See how artists are
inspired by nature. Touch some fossils. Examine the teeth of predators and prey. It can link to topics like plants and animals, classification, adaptation, life cycles, earth, sun and moon. Key Stage 1 children especially enjoy seeing Emily the dinosaur!

Click here to download and print the Natural History Museum trail.

Booking a Group Visit

For all enquiries and group visits please telephone (023)92827261 and ask for the admin team or email mvs@portsmouthcc.gov.uk stating clearly your name, school contact details, number/age of children, which museum/exhibition you are interested in and your preferred dates/times.

Current exhibitions

‘Art and Nature’ combines pictures and creatures to show how artists are inspired by nature. By bringing the two together, people can see the inspirations behind art works and explore the nature that lives in the habitats portrayed.

Skulls
In the Art and Nature room we have a fascinating new display all about skulls. Find out why rabbits have teeth that keep growing and see a fearsome set of shark jaws.

Also see a display of photographs upstairs at Cumberland House. They were taken by students at the Harbour School, Stamshaw and show a variety of animals.

Click here to find out more about recent acquisitions to the collections of Portsmouth Museums & Records Service.

Click here to find out more about Portsmouth Museums & Records Society, our 'Friends' organisation which supports the work of our museums.

All pictures are copyright of Portsmouth Museums and Record Service