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Museum

Newhaven Fort

Photo: Newhaven Fort

About Newhaven Fort

This historic coastal fortress captivates young visitors with underground passages, wartime experiences and outdoor play areas, plus family facilities including a restaurant and full accessibility throughout.

What's nearby

  • Cadence Clubhouse Newhaven next door
  • Newhaven Skatepark and Pumptrack 300m away

Distances as the crow flies, via Google

Good to know

Parking

  • Free car park
  • Free street

Accessibility

  • Accessible parking
  • Accessible entrance
  • Accessible toilet

Payment

  • Contactless

Details via Google — worth confirming with the attraction before you travel, especially for access needs.

Photos

Photos via Google

Opening hours

Monday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Current hours may differ from the usual schedule above (e.g. holidays) — check Google Maps for today's hours.

What visitors say

MilPoPo

Having visited Newhaven Fort before its renovation, I left feeling that much of the depth and detail that once made the museum engaging has been lost. Many of the exhibits rely heavily on simply worded information boards, and some displays feel rather bland and over simplified. The Iron Age exhibit is a good example. Where artefacts are displayed, many are behind glass, making photography difficult due to reflections, while some areas suffer from poor lighting that obscures important details. There are a handful of well-presented displays, particularly the First World War exhibit and the Air Raid Wardens’ room, but these are exceptions rather than the norm. Large numbers of rooms are left empty, making it difficult to understand their original purpose or visualise life within the fort. The experience was further diminished by significant areas being closed, either due to maintenance issues or because they were being used for a separately-booked escape room. For a £20 admission ticket, this did not represent good value. The shop is uninspiring, with a limited food and drink selection. There is a good children’s play area, which families may appreciate, but even the family-focused elements felt underwhelming given the fort’s location and admission price. From a museum perspective, some of the headline exhibits, such as the large coastal artillery pieces, appear to be in poor condition, while many smaller artefacts could be displayed far more effectively. Overall, the museum side of the fort feels rather underwhelming, and despite its apparent focus on families, I believe there are better family days out available elsewhere.

· via Google

Jo D

Lovely day out to visit the Fort. Great displays although some annoying American spellings (defense instead of defence) and my husband tells me OR is Other Ranks not Ordinary Ranks as said on the display. Really nicely laid out. V interesting and lovely cakes and chilli sausage rolls! Easy to get to from Newhaven Town railway station. Fantastic views.

· via Google

Claire Groves

Had a really lovely day here with my 8 year old. He's interested in history and we spent a good couple of hours walking round the museum rooms, looking at the cannons and down the tunnels. Then he spent another hour in the brilliant new playground. We will definitely go back...and we can as you get free return entry for 12 months with our admission tickets from this time.

· via Google

peter lea

Great place to visit for adults and children From the moment you enter the fort the history comes alive with hands on exhibits which is great for the kids and when they have had enough of the history there's a great play area with a coffee shop nearby. The kids loved to explore the underground tunnels and hidden rooms. All the staff were spoke to were all friendly and the hands on room, the guys are very knowledgeable and have some great story's to tell. Once your done with the fort they're more to see on top of the hill near the cost guard tower 3 more gun in placements to explore.

· via Google

See all reviews on Google →

Visitors say this fort offers engaging, interactive historical exhibits and extensive tunnels to explore, alongside stunning views. They also highlight the excellent, large adventure playground for children and the clean, well-maintained facilities, including accessible restrooms. Guests mention the admission ticket provides free return entry for 12 months, offering great value.

Summary via Google

At a glance

Address
Fort Road, Newhaven, BN9 9DS Get directions
Category
Sightseeing & Attractions
Guest rating
4.6 / 5 (1,231 reviews)
Suitable for
Ages 0-12
Setting
Indoor & outdoor
Good for children
Yes
Toilets on site
Yes
Destination
Newhaven