Our Mission

With the demise of HMS DOLPHIN, the original alma mater, in 1998, the Royal Navy Submarine Museum established at Haslar Jetty in the 1980s, has become the natural link with submarine history, stretching back to the beginning of the last century.

Featuring the first Royal Navy submarine Holland 1 and HMS Alliance of WWII vintage, the Museum provides a comprehensive record of the life and times of the Submarine Branch of the Royal Navy.

Well established as a major visitor attraction, the Museum also boasts a significant research facility, with some 50,000 documents, 120,000 photographs, 300 works of art and 800 medals and the collection continues to grow.

The Cost of preserving this important part of our heritage for the future always exceeds the available budget and this is where the Friends make such a vital contribution.

Founded with charitable status in 1995 (Registered Charity No. 1046251), The Society of Friends has attracted almost 900 members and the support of the Hampshire County Council. With a sound financial base, the Society has an ongoing programme to finance the conservation of photographs and other archive material, enhancing display galleries, staff training and the purchase of submarine related artefacts.

The Friends is an active, involved society working to preserve the heritage of the Submarine Service through its Museum.

Care is taken that the members’ generosity is focused on specific projects to improve the Museum and its collection.

We take protecting our members’ data very seriously.  Our Privacy Statement is here.

 

Message from the Chairman

Our museum is in a constant process of change but on this rare occasion this is a good thing. The fabric of the museum, its buildings, exhibits, displays and interactive facilities are always being updated and improved. Items of huge historical significance are preserved and displayed in a manner that contribute to telling the history and heritage of the submarine service. More recent additions are being added updating that story with the and the aim to cover all our history to educate and inform.

Much of this activity is supported directly by the Friends and other volunteers through financial contributions and assistance in the running of the museum itself. But, over the last few years the Friends have been looking at supporting submarine heritage more widely; however, the focus will always be on the Gosport site of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum.

The Friends’ membership continues to grow as a greater number of people recognise the importance of preserving our heritage. Encouragingly an increasing number of new members are joining with little or no previous connection to the submarine service, more evidence of the attraction and interest that our museum, the Friends and our service generates.

I often get unsolicited comments from people saying just how interesting and informative a visit to the museum has been. So, I ask you all to spread the word, encourage people to join the Friends and support the maintenance of our heritage and the telling of our story.

Jon Westbrook
Chairman

Jon Westbrook
Chairman