The Hovercraft Museum
The Hovercraft Museum at Lee-on-the-Solent is one of the most distinctive heritage attractions on the south coast. It houses the world's largest collection of hovercraft, with over 60 examples ranging from experimental prototypes and early commercial vessels through to modern racing craft and film props. The museum is a repository of the technological and cultural history of hovercraft development, a form of transport that captured public imagination in the 1960s and 1970s and that continues to operate on commercial routes today. For Lee-on-the-Solent, the museum represents a significant heritage asset and a major visitor attraction.
The Collection
The Hovercraft Museum's collection is unmatched anywhere in the world. With over 60 hovercraft of various types, sizes, and eras, it represents the full range of hovercraft development from the earliest experimental models through to contemporary craft. The collection includes experimental prototypes developed during the initial phases of hovercraft research when the technology was novel and unproven. It includes commercial cross-Channel hovercraft that operated passenger services between the United Kingdom and France. It includes military hovercraft operated by the Royal Navy and other defence forces. It includes racing hovercraft developed for competitive hovercraft racing events. It includes working hovercraft that have been preserved after operational service. The diversity of the collection provides a comprehensive overview of hovercraft history and technology.
The collection also includes hovercraft that have been used in films and television, lending a degree of pop culture significance to the museum. The most famous of these is the SRN4, a large commercial hovercraft used in James Bond films, specifically the Die Another Day film where the craft featured prominently in action sequences. The presence of film props alongside historical and technological examples creates a collection that appeals to diverse interests: those fascinated by maritime history, those interested in engineering and technology, those who remember hovercraft operations, and those with curiosity about cinema and entertainment.
What to See
The centrepiece of the museum is the SRN4 Princess Margaret, the largest hovercraft ever built. The Princess Margaret was a commercial cross-Channel hovercraft that operated regular passenger service between the United Kingdom and France. It was named after Princess Margaret and represented a pinnacle of hovercraft technology and commercial operation. The scale of the SRN4 is striking: it is a substantial vehicle, and seeing it in person gives a sense of the ambition of the hovercraft era. The interior can be explored, providing insight into the accommodation, facilities, and operations of a commercial hovercraft. Many visitors come specifically to see the Princess Margaret, and it remains the museum's signature attraction.
Beyond the Princess Margaret, the museum holds numerous other hovercraft of interest. The James Bond craft is a notable draw for film enthusiasts, particularly those with interest in the Bond films and action movie technology. The experimental Saunders-Roe models represent the earliest phases of British hovercraft development, showing the progression from concept through to practical operation. There is a craft that appeared on the television programme Scrapheap Challenge, an unexpected connection between maritime heritage and contemporary entertainment. Racing hovercraft show the development of high-performance variants. Military craft demonstrate the application of hovercraft technology to defence purposes. The range ensures that visitors with different interests will find aspects of the collection that engage them.
Hovercraft and Lee-on-the-Solent
The location of the Hovercraft Museum at Lee-on-the-Solent is not coincidental. The Solent area, and particularly the Isle of Wight, has a significant connection to hovercraft history. The Saunders-Roe company, which developed some of the earliest and most successful hovercraft, was based on the Isle of Wight. The first successful hovercraft crossing of the English Channel took place in 1959, travelling across waters directly adjacent to Lee-on-the-Solent. The Solent's protected waters and established maritime infrastructure made it a natural location for hovercraft development and operation. The museum's location at Lee-on-the-Solent, on the site of the former HMS Daedalus naval air station, reflects the historical connection between aviation, maritime technology, and the Solent coast. Lee-on-the-Solent's transformation from naval air station to civilian industrial and heritage use is exemplified in the presence of the Hovercraft Museum.
Visiting
The Hovercraft Museum is open to visitors with accessibility being straightforward for those with limited mobility or interest. Opening hours are primarily Saturdays, with extended opening during the summer months, including selected Wednesdays, allowing for increased visitor access during holiday season. Admission is free, with donations welcome to support the ongoing maintenance and conservation of the collection. The museum provides a cafe offering refreshment, and a gift shop with hovercraft-related merchandise and publications. Parking is available adjacent to the museum.
One of the distinctive features of visiting the Hovercraft Museum is the possibility of experiencing a hovercraft ride. On selected weekends, the museum operates demonstration hovercraft rides, allowing visitors to experience the unique sensation of hovercraft travel. These rides operate on a short course in the surrounding area and provide a practical, experiential understanding of hovercraft performance and the distinctive characteristics of the technology. For many visitors, the hovercraft ride is the highlight of the museum visit, offering a tangible connection to the collection rather than simply viewing static displays.
The Hovercraft Museum sits within the broader context of Lee-on-the-Solent's aviation and maritime heritage. It complements visits to the adjacent Solent Airport, where civilian aviation operations can be observed, and the broader waterfront and sailing culture of the town. For those interested in the history of technology, the history of transport, or simply in distinctive and unusual heritage attractions, the Hovercraft Museum provides a compelling destination.