Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

About the venue

Naval dockyard in Portsmouth that is home to HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose. Its ships and museums are hired for dinners, receptions, meetings and weddings for 12 to 240. Warrior's Main Gun Deck seats 240 at mess tables, and 22 can dine in Nelson's Great Cabin on Victory. Hire fees fund the museums.

Twenty-two guests can sit at the table in HMS Victory's Great Cabin where Nelson once dined. Exclusive hire costs £12,600 including VAT, and a private tour of the ship can be added. Victory is the world's oldest commissioned warship. It is under restoration in the Victory Live: The Big Repair project, and dinners include a view from the under-hull walkway. The ship has no heating, so it can only be booked between March and October.

A short walk away lies HMS Warrior, launched in 1860 as the world's first iron-hulled warship and the pride of Queen Victoria's fleet. Her Main Gun Deck seats 240 at authentic mess tables. The Upper Deck takes 400 standing, with views over the harbour. Smaller groups use the Officer's Half Deck, the Wardroom or the Captain's Cabin, which seats 12. Weddings take place on board.

The Mary Rose, Henry VIII's flagship, came back to the dockyard after 437 years under the Solent. In the Mary Rose Museum, the Upper Deck looks straight onto the hull and seats parties for evening dinners from 6.30pm. The Royal Navy Museums also hire Storehouse 11, a Grade I listed building fitted out with reclaimed ship timber, and the Victory Gallery, with its naval figureheads.

The Royal Navy Museums venues are hired dry, with an event manager, security and furniture, and approved caterers and suppliers. Helium balloons, confetti and real candles are not allowed on the ships. Heels must be wider than a 5p coin, or fitted with protectors, to save the decks. Profits from hire go back into the ships and collections. The official car park is 400 yards from Victory Gate.

Home of HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose

Events for 12 to 240 across ships and galleries

HMS Warrior Main Gun Deck: 240 seated

HMS Victory Great Cabin: 22 seated, £12,600

Mary Rose Upper Deck dining from £2,200 + VAT

Weddings on board HMS Warrior

Royal Marines Laser Quest for teams and parties

Hire fees support the museums' conservation work