The Tank Museum at Bovington, in Dorset, holds the largest collection of tanks in the world: around 300 armoured vehicles from more than twenty countries, from the first prototype of 1915 to modern tanks. It is not just a museum for military history enthusiasts: it tells how an invention born in the mud of the First World War trenches changed warfare and 20th-century technology, through the stories of the men and women who lived it. Its most famous exhibit is Tiger 131, the only German Tiger I tank in the world still able to run.
History
During the First World War, to overcome the mud, barbed wire and machine guns that had brought the Western Front to a standstill, the British secretly developed a tracked armoured vehicle. To keep it secret they called it a "tank", suggesting it was a water tank. The first prototype, Little Willie, was built in 1915 in Lincoln, and the first tanks went into battle on the Somme in 1916. Bovington, base of the tank corps since 1916, began collecting vehicles that had been taken out of service in the 1920s, and the museum opened to the public in the 1940s. Today it is a charity linked to the Royal Armoured Corps.
- 1915Little Willie, the first tank prototype, is built in Lincoln
- 1916Tanks go into battle on the Somme
- 1923The writer Rudyard Kipling suggests creating a tank museum
- 1943Tiger 131 is captured in Tunisia
- 1947The museum opens regularly to the public
- 2004Tiger 131 runs again after restoration
What to see
The collection halls
The museum is divided into large themed halls. The Tank Story traces a hundred years of tanks in chronological order, from Little Willie and the First World War Mark I to Cold War and modern tanks. The Trench Experience recreates a First World War trench with sounds and settings. Other halls are devoted to the Second World War, with British, American, Soviet and German tanks, and to vehicles from many other countries.
Tiger 131
Tiger 131 was captured almost intact in Tunisia in April 1943, after a lucky shot had jammed its turret, and was brought to Britain to be studied. Carefully restored, it is the only working Tiger I in the world, and also appeared in the film Fury starring Brad Pitt. It has a hall to itself, alongside other German tanks such as the Tiger II and the Panther.
Live displays
In summer, in the outdoor arena, live displays are held in which historic tanks move and manoeuvre in front of the public. The big event of the year is TankFest, at the end of June, when dozens of tanks parade in the arena; on certain special days Tiger 131 comes out too.
Practical information
The museum is open all year, except over Christmas, and the ticket is generally valid for a year. It is very family-friendly, with play areas and activities for children. For events such as TankFest tickets should be booked well in advance. Opening times and prices are published on the official website.
Getting there
- By train: from London Waterloo to Wool in about two and a half hours, then about 2 kilometres on foot or by taxi.
- By car: near the A352, about half an hour from Poole and Dorchester; free parking.
- By air: Bournemouth Airport is about 40 minutes away.
Nearby
- Clouds Hill, the small cottage of T. E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, who served at Bovington and died in 1935 in a motorcycle accident nearby.
- Lulworth Cove and the arch of Durdle Door, on the Jurassic Coast, and Corfe Castle.
- The Monkey World primate sanctuary, a few minutes away, and the great harbour of Poole.
Tips
- How long: at least three hours, a full day on display days.
- When to go: in summer for the arena displays; at the end of June for TankFest.
- A tip: check the live display calendar on the website and plan your visit around those times.