HMS Victory
HMS Victory
On 7th May 1765 HMS Victory was floated out of the Old Single Dock in Chatham's Royal Dockyard. In the years to come, over an unusually long service, she would gain renown leading fleets in the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic War.
In 1805 she achieved lasting fame as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Nelson in Britain's greatest naval victory, the defeat of the French and Spanish at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Key Facts
260+ years
The world's oldest commissioned warship
104 guns
Carried at the Battle of Trafalgar
6 Battles
Over its 34 years of active service
A Hospital Ship
1798-99 saw Victory used as a hospital ship for prisoners of war
The Great Refit
In 1800 Victory got a new paint job, figurehead, masts and more guns
1920 - Date
On display in a dry dock in Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard
Plan Your Visit
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is open all year round at 10am every day. The Historic Dockyard is a place to bring the family, celebrate birthdays and special occasions. Enjoy weekends, holidays and days off, having quality time out in good company.
Plan your upcoming visit to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with our handy guide, everything you'll need to plan your visit, before you arrive and while you’re here.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Victory Gate, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth PO1 3LJ
Opening times: 10am – 5pm
Conservation
The National Museum of the Royal Navy is committed to preserving Nelson’s flagship, HMS Victory. The vessel is currently undergoing the biggest restoration programme in her history following guidelines set out in the National Historic Ships UK (NHSUK) Publication ‘Conserving Historic Vessels’.
Current efforts focus on the development of a new support system and preventing the water damage. All of these measures are of critical importance and are very time and resource- intensive.
Discover Our Virtual Museum
Dive into the museum from the comfort of your home with a virtual self-guided tour of HMS Victory.
Step aboard Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship and join our curators as they explore artefacts from Victory’s heyday.
Support Us
We need your support to help the museum continue its mission to preserve our naval treasures for future generations.
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