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Museum
SeaCity Museum
City museum in the Civic Centre, opened in 2012, on Southampton's Titanic story and its history from prehistoric times to the Second World War.
A mini guide to
Southampton Old Town & City Centre
Medieval walls and merchants' houses, the Titanic story at SeaCity and the ferries at Town Quay
Photos
1 / 10Welcome to the area
Medieval walls and merchants' houses, the Titanic story at SeaCity and the ferries at Town Quay
Southampton's old town lies inside the surviving medieval walls, between the Bargate and the waterfront. Tudor House and Garden, the Medieval Merchant's House, God's House Tower and the ruins of Holyrood Church are all a short walk apart.
North of the Bargate, Above Bar Street leads to the Civic Centre, with SeaCity Museum, the City Art Gallery and the Mayflower Theatre nearby. Red Funnel ferries leave Town Quay for the Isle of Wight, and Ocean Village has Solent Sky and an old lightship.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Museum
Tudor House and Garden
Grade I listed house and garden, the city's oldest museum, telling over 800 years of local history.
Directions Website Report a problem with Tudor House and Garden
Historic house
Medieval Merchant's House
Restored late-13th-century merchant's house on French Street, recreated inside as it might have looked. English Heritage site.
Directions Website Report a problem with Medieval Merchant's House
Arts venue
God's House Tower
Arts and heritage venue in the medieval gate and tower of the old town walls, with a café and bar.
Museum
Solent Sky
Aviation museum near Ocean Village that calls itself the home of the Spitfire.
Museum ship
Calshot Spit Lightship
Former Trinity House lightvessel LV 78, once anchored off Calshot Spit and now a museum ship beside Solent Sky.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Southampton Old Town & City Centre and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Weekend Park & Ride
The PR1 Park & Ride runs on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from the Adanac Park multi-storey to Southampton Central, Westquay and Albion Place.
2
No Hythe ferry for now
The Hythe Pier Company says there is currently no scheduled passenger ferry between Southampton and Hythe. Plan New Forest trips by bus, train or car.
3
Pay by card on buses
Bluestar, the main city bus operator, accepts contactless tap-on, tap-off payment and sells day tickets.
4
Taxis
Visit Southampton lists taxi ranks at Southampton Central, Southampton Airport Parkway, near Westquay and on the High Street.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Southampton Old Town & City Centre (area photo): Michael Coppins, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- SeaCity Museum: hahnchen at Wikimedia Commons (must include link if medium allows), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tudor House and Garden: Peter Trimming from Croydon, England, CC BY 2.0, source
- Medieval Merchant's House: Lupusaesticus, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Solent Sky: Nimbus227, Public domain, source
- Calshot Spit Lightship: Dashers at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Bargate: Michael Coppins, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Southampton Town Walls: Christophe.Finot, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Wool House: Robin Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Canute's Palace: Daemonic Kangaroo, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Holyrood Church: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- St Michael's Church: Richard Nevell, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mayflower Theatre: Turquoisefish at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Pilgrim Fathers Memorial: Webmink, CC BY 3.0, source
- Titanic Engineers' Memorial: photo by Geni sculpture by Ferdinand Victor Blundstone, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Southampton Cenotaph: AlanFord at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Portsmouth Harbour & Old Portsmouth: geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Southsea: Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Portsmouth and Southampton