Royal Artillery Museum Offers Rare Behind-the-Scenes Access at Larkhill Open Day

Wednesday, 25 February 2026 09:40

The Royal Artillery Museum has announced its latest Open Day on Tuesday, 3rd March 2026 at its Wood Road stores in Larkhill.

Visitors will have a rare opportunity to step behind the scenes through a series of pre-booked guided tours.

Tours will take place at 10 am, 12:30 pm and 3 pm.

The free guided tours will offer exclusive access to Europe’s oldest surviving aircraft hangars, located on the site of Britain’s first military airfield. Visitors will be able to:

Explore fascinating artefacts from their small objects store
See rare and historic field guns, spanning the 17th to early 20th centuries
Discover their conservation workshop and current restoration projects
Learn about the Grade II* listed 1910 aircraft hangars — once home to pioneering military aviation

These hangars are among the few remaining structures from the airfield where, in 1910, pilots conducted exercises that helped shape the Army’s recognition of aviation in warfare. Although the airfield closed in 1914, the sheds remain a powerful reminder of this groundbreaking era.

Founded in 1778, the Royal Artillery Museum’s collection is one of the world’s oldest military collections. It was first displayed publicly in 1820 at the Rotunda on Woolwich Common and later moved to Firepower in 2001. Following Firepower’s closure in 2016, the collection has been in storage while plans progress for a new museum near Larkhill, the modern home of the Royal Artillery.

This Open Day provides a rare chance for the public to see objects and stories from this extraordinary collection, which is usually inaccessible.

Places are strictly limited, and booking is essential.

Book free tickets here:
https://bit.ly/RoyalArtilleryMuseumTours

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