Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery

Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery is a free museum and it is a wonderful place to see for anyone visiting the city. I picked a few highlights from the museum, including representations of a few rooms, from early modern to the 20th century. Those do not need any explanations. Enjoy.

The museum starts with their exhibitions on Sherlock Holmes.

These are the spiritualist memorial boards for Sir Arthus Conan Doyle and his wife, Lady Jean. These were used to mark their gravesides. Their remains were moved after 1955 and the new churchyard was not keen on these boards. These are now on loan to the Portsmouth Museum.

The toe would be placed into the embers to warm the ale. This copper ale-warmer is from the 18th century. I haven’t seen something like this before.

Pedlar Dolls from around 1840. Charlotte and Harriet White, sisters, were in their 50s in 1841 and they created a few of these dolls. The Whites sold the dolls for them to be put on display under glass domes in parlours. These were “conversation pieces”.

The pictures above and below are of items made entirely of glass. Both were made in the 1970s.

This model is of a “disappearing gun”, from the 1870s Portsmouth. The gun pivoted up and down, making it possible to lower it under the parapet when not in use. I found this very interesting as well.

These panels are embellished with leather motifs. See below some close-ups. They are gorgeous.