1982 – Dive the Mary Rose will be a 4D immersive theatre experience which showcases the untold story of the finding, excavation, and recovery of Henry VIII’s favourite ship.
Giving visitors the chance to experience what it was like to dive alongside the Mary Rose, the never-before-seen theatre experience will explore the history of when the ship sank more than four centuries ago through to the present day.
Using 3D glasses and CGI, the experience will tell the stories of all those who were instrumental in bringing it to the surface of The Solent, creating a lasting legacy marking the world’s largest underwater excavation and recovery.
It is the biggest ever expansion of Hampshire’s award-winning Mary Rose Museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and is due to open on 31st March.
1982 – Dive the Mary Rose will be included in the admission price to the Mary Rose Museum, with groups of 12 or more qualifying for discounted tickets.
Other group benefits include free entry for the group leader, off-site coach parking and combination tickets to all of the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard attractions, such as the HMS Victory and the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
On 11th October 1982, Henry VIII’s flagship emerged from the waves, and the ship’s remains – as well as a collection of recovered artefacts – are displayed at the museum.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary in 2022 of the ship’s return to the surface, last year the museum launched a multi-sensory augmented reality game, Time Detectives: The Mystery of the Mary Rose, recreating the sights, sounds and even the smells of life on board the ship.
To create the new experience, the Mary Rose Trust has partnered with Figment Productions, a digital media production company which has worked with the likes of the National Trust and Royal Opera House.
Both attractions add to 1545 – When their world ended, an audio-visual walk-through experience that opened in 2021, taking visitors through the history of the ship, including re-living the final moments as it sank.
Visitors can also retrace the footsteps of King Henry VIII, who watched from Southsea Castle as his flagship sank. Built in 1544, the castle was part of a series of fortifications constructed by the king around England’s coasts to protect the country from invaders. Visitors can explore the castle’s keep and enjoy panoramic views from the top to the Isle of Wight.
The Mary Rose was built in Portsmouth and launched in 1511 as a warship, serving for 33 years in several conflicts against France, Scotland, and Brittany. After being substantially rebuilt in 1536, the ship saw its last action on 19th July 1545 after an attack by a French invasion fleet.
For more information go to maryrose.org/groups.
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