Devonport Naval Heritage Centre

The Heritage Centre reopened to the public on 20th March 2024 and will welcome visitors every Wednesday and second Saturday of each month until the end of October. We worked hard over the winter to improve all our Galleries. In particular, new attractions now include an opportunity to explore HMS Courageous through an interactive display, while in the Age of Sail Gallery, an exhibit highlights the Royal Navy’s effort to stop the Slave Trade during the 19th Century.

In collaboration with other Devonport organisations, we are celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the name change to Devonport (Devonport 200) and have set up an a temporary gallery, highlighting events during the past 200 years in the Dockyard.

Visit the Naval Heritage Centre and discover how the dockyard of the 1690s has grown into the largest Naval Base in Western Europe, and led to the creation of both Devonport and Torpoint.

The Devonport Naval Heritage Centre comprises of eight galleries housing a wide variety of historically significant items (some nationally so) as well as a large collection of items of less significance historically although important to Devonport from a heritage perspective.

The Centre is the result of a collaborative effort by volunteers, interested people, enthusiasts and Naval Base personnel to rescue and/or preserve historical artefacts. HMS Courageous is a decommissioned submarine currently located in 3 Basin which provides an opportunity for the public to tour a retired nuclear submarine.

During a guided tour of decommissioned nuclear submarine HMS Courageous visitors gain a fascinating glimpse into the world of the “Silent Service”.

Through its collections, interactive experiences and pictorial interpretation, the drama of the close relationship of Devonport, the Royal Navy, The Dockyard and the people of Plymouth can be explored.