Are you interested in finding out more about the most influential military technology of the 20th century? If you’re having a holiday in Bournemouth, you can easily spend a day doing just that by visiting the Tank Museum at Bovington Camp. And Bournemouth family hotel Marsham Court is the perfect base for it.
The Tank Museum
The Tank Museum is part of the Bovington Camp complex, which includes the headquarters of the Royal Tank Regiment. Its origins go back to a visit, a hundred years ago this year, by author Rudyard Kipling. Seeing the damaged tanks salvaged from the First World War battlefields, he suggested creating a museum dedicated to them.
However, while a shed was set up to house the collection, it wasn’t until 1947 that it was opened to the general public. The museum was greatly expanded during the 1980s.
What You’ll See at the Tank Museum
The Tank Museum has nearly 300 vehicles on display, from 26 different countries, which have seen action in wars ranging from the First World War to Afghanistan. Highlights include a World War One Mark 1 tank and the only German Tiger 1 tank from World War Two that’s still in working order. Also in the collection is “Little Willie”, the British prototype that’s the oldest tank still in existence.
The tanks are arranged in nine exhibitions. These include collections dedicated to the two World Wars and the Afghanistan conflict, as well as themed exhibitions. There’s an exhibition tracing the World War One journey from cavalry to tanks, while another tells the interactive story of the tank throughout its history.
Other halls explore the design and technology of the tank and show how the exhibits are conserved. There are regular events, including mock battles, and you can even have a ride in a tank.
Getting to the Tank Museum from Marsham Court Hotel
The Tank Museum is no more than 20 miles west of Bournemouth, and from Marsham Court Hotel, in the heart of the town, it should take just forty minutes to get there.
There are a restaurant and a café on-site, or you’re welcome to bring your own picnic, while play areas are available for the kids. The museum is largely accessible, and there’s a Wellbeing Room for anyone who needs some time out.
Why Stay at Marsham Court Hotel?
It isn’t just the Tank Museum that’s easily accessible from Marsham Court Hotel. This four-star Bournemouth sea-front hotel is convenient for the whole of the Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch area, as well as destinations on all sides.
It’s a friendly, comfortable hotel that caters for everyone, from our award-winning accessible facilities to our policy of enthusiastically catering for well-behaved dogs accompanying our guests. Drop us a line to find out more about staying at Marsham Court Hotel.
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