National Army Museum
- Military history enthusiasts
- History enthusiasts
- Families with children
What Visitors Say
The National Army Museum in Chelsea is a wonderful place for families, and the Play Base soft play is truly the highlight for little ones. The space is clean, safe, and beautifully designed, with climbing areas, imaginative play zones, and plenty of room for toddlers to explore confidently. Staff are friendly and attentive, and the timed sessions keep the environment calm and comfortable. It’s the perfect spot for children to burn energy while having fun, and the museum itself is spacious, welcoming, and easy to enjoy before or after the play session. A great experience for both kids and adults — highly recommended.
A museum with exhibits and stories of the history of the army. Lots of stories presented in audio and video format- very informative. Focus is on the men and women of the army and has plenty of uniform, equipment and weapons used in the different conflicts and zones. I didn't intend to stay for 4 hours but landed up doing so. There is an exhibit about the paintings of war during Queen Victoria's reign that is worth spending some time visiting. Overall, a day well spent. Will return again.
Great museum, with interesting displays that are well signposted. Lots of historic artifacts, vehicles and paintings. I preferred it to the IWM, which has gone downhill in recent years. It's free to enter too.
This museum is highly recommended for adults, children, teenagers — honestly, for everyone. There is a huge collection of uniforms, paintings, weapons, historically significant clothing, and vehicles. It’s absolutely fascinating. There are plenty of benches to rest on, a café, and even a small play area for children. We loved every second of our visit there.
The museum is dedicated to the history of the British army and the many wars it has been engaged in since the 17th century. As a consequence there is a stunning and colourful array of uniforms, helmets, firearms, medallions, paintings, prints and ephemera on three floors, all beautifully displayed and supported by information providing fascinating stories of the men and women who fought in (and against!) the British Army. The approachable and friendly museum staff are always happy to provide more information about the objects and explain their historical context. When I was last there a special exhibition of Victorian military paintings entitled 'Myth and Reality' had some spectacular canvases featuring episodes from the many colonial and continental wars fought by the British Army. (It was so good I went twice!). There is also a pleasant and comfortable cafeteria on the first floor.
Highlights
Marengo’s Skeleton
Napoleon’s war horse, up closeCaptured after Waterloo, this small, tough Arabian carried a very big story.
Permanent displays, Waterloo section
Soldier Stories
The Army at human scaleLetters, kit and portraits follow a life from enlistment to veterans’ memories.
‘Soldier’ gallery
Tactics Table
How formations win or failModels and screens show why squares beat cavalry—and when they didn’t.
‘Battle’ gallery, interactives
Play Base
Under-8s soft-play with a military twistCamouflage tunnels and mini-obstacles let energy burn while adults regroup.
Ground floor, timed entry
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
The star ‘celebrity’ is equine: Marengo, Napoleon’s horse, whose bones tell a different story to heroic paintings—he’s notably small.
The museum’s 2017 rebuild reorganised content around questions (Soldier, Army, Battle, Society, Insight) rather than a straight timeline.
You can touch more than you think—selected handling objects and interactives are designed to be used, not just looked at.
Free entry, but the wildly popular Play Base (ages 0–8) is ticketed—locals treat it like a membership perk.
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