Fascinating place. If you considering it, do go. We went today as as two adults with our tank mad 14 year old. It is the first time we have been and can't recommend it enough. Very informative in relation to tanks and virtually every battle since 1914. There were numerous tanks on display. I found the description boards next to each tank particularly interesting. We were there 5 hours and are going back later in the week to finish the last 30 per cent. The layout was a little confusing, but it didn't matter. The food was average price and average quality. Reasonable. Plenty of seating. There were lots of interactive displays for younger children and a soft play area (that did look a bit manic). The outside arena display was probably the highlight.

What an absolutely brilliant day out. So worth the visit. The live tank display is a must and thoroughly enjoyable. Tank rides are available at an extra cost to the entrance price but worth it. Lots of WW1 and WW2 exhibits with interesting and moving personal accounts. With recreations of what life was like in a wartime bunker which you can actually walk through. Large cafe and seating available but gets busy. You can bring your own picnic and sit on the grass overlooking the tank display arena. Very friendly and helpful staff ready to answer any questions. I highly recommend a visit.

Just the most fantastic museum, so we'll laid out. Brilliant value as your ticket lasts for a year. 1000% better than 10 years ago. Very nice cafe with great views. You will need at least 5 hours.

So many tanks to look at, far more than I expected. The displays are interesting and in a light and spacious area, not fenced off behind barriers, you can look up close. There is an outdoor area where you can see tanks driving around and for an extra fee you can take a ride on one. The cafe was nice, had a tasty Tuna panini and chips. Lovely clean loos, nice little gift shop. Glad we went.

Having last visited the Tank Museum in 2001, I was not sure how much could have changed in that time, and I was slightly apprehensive that my young child might be quickly bored, but this was absolutely NOT the case! There are more than ample interactive activities for kids in almost every room, with each section being very well thought out to appeal to all age ranges. There is also reasonable cafe and soft play to keep young families occupied if the activity trails aren't enough, which is a bonus. The museum also offers sensory backpacks for children, which was a very nice touch. The tanks themselves are still very tastefully displayed and remain the real highlight. Highly recommended!

What a brilliant museum. So much to see and do. My son wanted to visit this place for his birthday treat. If you like military history or not it is very interesting, some of the machines are incredible. The staff are great and very friendly. The food is a bit pricey, but to help support the museum I don't mind. Admission is very reasonable, 1 adult and 2 kids under 15, £34 for a year ticket. We stayed in nearby Swanage to make a weekend of it. Some lovely places to stay.

We were so impressed with our visit. We visited with our 3 year old and stayed for over 4 hours. There are some really great kids activities throughout the museum like army figures, lego, top trumps, dressing up, puzzles etc. I’m not that into tanks myself, my husband is the one who wanted to go, but I still really enjoyed myself and found everything so interesting. So much to see and a very big museum. Highly recommend. They also have some bargain books!

I think this is the most excellent museum I have ever been in. Quite jaw dropping in its scale, with highly informative exhibits brought to life through many personal stories. We were there for over 4 hours and still did not see or read everything. We were quite overwhelmed by the experience. Luckily the tickets are valid for a year and we will definitely return. To help spend a whole day here there is a cafe with a kids play area and a less noisy restaurant. There is a ton of stuff for kids to do. Put simply, everyone should visit to be better informed about war, UK innovation in tank warfare, and how ordinary people were impacted at such a young age.

A fantastic place to visit if you are in Dorset. It has certainly changed since I was last there many years ago. There are plenty of things to see for all the family, young and old. There are so many varieties of tanks to see on display and you can get right up to them too. There is plenty of space for everybody to get around and you don't feel like you are getting in each others way too. I was particularly impressed with the WW1 exhibition where you can walk through a couple of tanks too. The display in the outside arena was very good too. It was also nice to be able to walk around the vehicles after they had finished the display and talk to the drivers too. Time wise I spent over six hours on my first visit and then went back a couple of days later for a couple more. The great thing is with your ticket you get an annual pass included too. Certainly recommended.

Great musuem. I had wanted to visit this location for a number of years and I wasn't disappointed. Comprehensive and informative collection. I thought the cost of entry was good value at £14 for the year. We spent almost the entire day here and only just managed to fit in visiting all the exhibits. The space looked clean and well looked after. Bathrooms were clean and staff seemed knowledgeable and friendly. If you have an interest in Armoured Warfare or Military History this is a must.

Absolutely sublime collection of the best tanks in the world, from the first to the most recent, with extremely friendly, witty and knowledgeable staff. Such a huge collection in fact that we could only get round half of the exhibits! We also had a guided tour with Ben who provided an extremely informative and humorous overview of post-WW2 tanks and the stories behind them, which provided additional information even to someone who has watched all of the Tank Museum's YouTube content! Overall a fantastic place, and will definitely be coming back!

Much more modern and far more on display than I initially expected. Quite expensive at £15 per ticket (adult) but I feel you definitely get your money’s worth. Lots of tanks on display from one of the original Mk1s of WW1 right up to the challenger 2. Disappointed the didn’t have a M1 Abrams though. Lots of information to take in - you could easily spend a day here and not get bored. Surprising how much reading is involved for what is essentially an army establishment - they must have drafted somebody in to assist with that :p

What a great way to learn about how Britain maintained it's freedom and independence, thanks to the invention of the military tank in WW1. Although little was said about Churchill, whom I'm sure was instrumental in it's establishment following his observations of trench warfare. I spent just over 3 hours here, easily could have been more if I didn't have other commitments. Luckily your ticket of £16 can be used again up to 12 months. A ride in a tank would have been a nice addition to the facility.

It is a super museum for all the family, so many tanks, stories, and displays of the ww1 trenches. Great knowledgeable staff, that answered many questions about the impressive only running tiger tank. Also engaged with our daughter in the rationing shop. Kids also have a press stamp book to go around and collect, with super indoor/outdoor play parks. Personal favourites were the tiger tanks and fury. Thought the gift shop was also good value for money. Big free car park on site.

Wow, what a fantastic facility. My husband is such an enthusiast and this did not disappoint. There was plenty to keep my young children interested also. 2 food outlets, both of which were priced fairly. The cafe has a soft play - it isn't manned so it is up to the parents to keep an eye on their kids. Just a warning, not all children were being supervised so bear that in mind if you have very young or small kids going in. Highlights for me were the WW1 trench experience, the War Horse exhibition and the Afghanistan section. We were also lucky enough to see a tank demo on the outside course. It's a great day out and your ticket gives you membership for the year with unlimited returns for 12 months. We paid £38 for a family of 4 in advance, this is such a brilliant deal.

The tank museum was amazing! Even people in our group who weren't into tanks enjoyed it. There was plenty of space for the kids to look around and fun activities for them. Our autistic daughter had lots of fun too and was able to move around freely with no judgement. We will 100% be returning, numerous times I hope!

So much to see and learn even if you're not a tank enthusiast specifically! We went on a rainy day as two adult women but had an amazing time. The museum does a great job of taking you right from the start of their introduction to modern day so you really can understand the decisions made and their impacts. My only note is that it gets really warm, so definitely consider a t shirt or even shorts! Gift shop and book shop were great, and the little cafe is a good stop for a quick refreshment although probably not the best bet for a full lunch!

This is a world class museum with over 300 tanks. Interestingly, Rudyard Kipling was the person who inspired the building of a museum to house all the tanks left around southern England after the wars. Volunteer staff are friendly and helpful and give a variety of free talks throughout the day that are accessible to children as well as adults. The talks aren’t just about tanks but also life during WW2 such as explaining rationing. There are also oral interviews and brief history write ups. There is a section on Afghanistan which we initially missed because we thought it was just a cafe. Actually, it’s a cafe in the middle of the museum with an exhibit of Afghan tanks and troop living conditions. There’s a bigger cafe/restaurant upstairs from where you enter/exit the museum. Count on at beast 2-3 hours here.

Great museum. Came up to Dorset for 24 hours for husbands birthday! Didn’t disappoint- although there was no warning about the private function… which sadly included the indoor play area which our 7 year old son was really looking forward too. But out of our control. Lots of different tanks about, the history was fantastic and also we didn’t expect the interactive area including World of Tanks and Xbox. Have a come back within 12 months ticket, so I think husband will return with his mate. Also, we have no idea why or how.. but it was so quiet today! Which was even better in our opinion.

Easy to find and significantly more professional and well presented than when I went as a kid. So, so many tanks and military vehicles with loads of info about the exhibits. One area was closed off due to a wedding, but we still ran out of time to see it all. Hopefully in a few years time they will cover the Ukrainian war and the impact drones have had on tank design and tactics.

Best tank museum in the world! Went there for Tiger Day with the premium tickets. Well worth the cost of them in my opinion. Though I only saw maybe 1/3 of the collection. You need 2 days to see it all if you do go. I liked how you were able to see the workshop and other tanks they have in storage that are off limits to the general admission. Makes you feel like the premium ticket price is worth it. Also they let you climb up on, but not in dozens of other tanks. Getting on top and seeing Tiger 131 climb the hill in their arena was truly a one in a lifetime experience if you're into tanks, history, or militaria in general.

I think I felt like a 6 year old with big toys for the whole 4 hours it took to take the place in... Loved it! I arrived with a love for tanks and left with knowledge of the reason and history of the modern tank. It's an amazing collection expertly presented.

A great museum for all the family, not just tank enthusiasts. Friendly helpful staff, good food and excellent clean facilities. The ticket price includes entry for a whole year, so great value if you intend to return. I found the Guided Talks fascinating, again included in price. There is a new play park outside and indoor soft play area inside next to a 2nd cafe. Great for a wet weather day as it’s virtually all under cover. Will certainly return!

Absolutely superb day. If you are into military vehicles then allow a full day. The layout of the exhibits is excellent and takes you through the development of the tank, the first world war as well as many other eras. We took our 8 month old in a pram and the facilities were great. Cafe provided good food for a fair price and everything was very accessible. I am sad that I live so far away or I would be back regularly. Buy tickets online for a small discount. Shop was fairly priced and had an excellent selection, particularly of clothes and model kits.

Absolutely brilliantly day out. I had very little expectations. Thought they’d have a few tanks on display and a few medals. Nothing like that. The place has so much going on. They’ve thought of everything. And parking is free, which is always a bonus. We visited in the 6 week term so really busy but when I booked my ticket for the day (£45 for 2 adults and 2 children) I noticed you can add the annual pass for free with the ticket so make sure you do that. We will definitely visit again. The kids loved it. Highly recommend a visit

The Tank Museum is awesome if you like this kind of thing, and if you don’t then it’s a whole load of tanks, like lots and lots and lots of them! My wife is tank crew so I’ve been dragged here at least three times now, and actually even I enjoy it! It’s always clean and well maintained, the toilets are good, the two cafes on site are great and include a selection of vegan cakes and ice creams. There is Tank Fest too, which we visited for the first time this year (22) and it’s an awesome weekend - probably too long for me as you can see it all in just one day.

A truely great day out for all ages. Lovely restaurant facilities or outdoor area for picnics. Plan to spend around 3 or 4 hours here. Free parking. And a great shop for all ages. Your ticket also lasts 365 days meaning you can return as much as you like for a year for free.

What a great day out. So many tanks to see but other interesting things to do like tank PC gaming and exhibitions. Caters to all ages and plenty of places to sit and read and interact with. My son's 15 and loved it. Great value for money as well. Great shop and restaurants there. And you get an annual pass with entry which is great we want to go back in the summer to see the tank shows. But your tickets online it's cheaper but very good price for everything you get to see and do.

Bovington did not disappoint when it came to a special day out with my little ones, Plenty of hands-on activities to keep their attention and tickle their imagination. The live tank displays were engaging if not a little loud and disturbing, which they ought to be. All in all we enjoyed our day and the 12 month return ticket made the entry price viable for us.

A very good day out. My Son said it was the best day out ever!! And my daughter agreed 👍 it's a good family choice. Highlight was watching them start up the Tiger 131

It was an impromptu visit, we enjoyed it. A huge collection of tanks and it’s role in history. Well presented. If you’re a fan of those tank battle video games, you will love this place. The museum is easy to locate, you can even park beside a tank! There’s a restaurant with some canteen food and snacks & the gift shop :)

This is an awesome museum and we go back time after time and the children never get bored of visiting. They just keep on asking to return and wake up with such excitement every time they know they are going again. Brilliant! The museum offers so much as advertised and it is all spaced out really well making the day flow really well. The food and options are good and personally I would recommend the beef and dumplings with a Yorkshire. Yummy! Get booking and go have some family fun!

One of the best museums I have been to. Loads of brilliant tanks on display, lots of interactive things for the kids (and adults!) to do. As it's all indoors it's great for a rainy day, it was very busy on the rainy day I went! There is an outside arena which looks like it would be fantastic to watch display. Sadly nothing was happening outside on the day I was there- though considering the deluge of rain we'd have probably drowned if we'd attempted it.

You can see how big it is on Google maps, but it's still an impressive collection at a huge site. Many historic vehicles. We moved through the facility at a fair pace bearing in my we didn't stop to eat and don't have children, it took us from 10:40 to about 13:40. You can easily spend 4 hours there.

What a fantastic experience! Amazing collection, well displayed. Definitely worth traveling across the world to see it. Fairly easy to get there by train from Bournemouth. Best to take a taxi from the train station, takes about 5min. Food at the museum is decent. Probably 2 days needed to have the full experience. We spent 6 hours and it wasn’t enough time. WW1 exhibits are amazing! Don’t miss it.

Can't rave enough about this place. This was our first visit as a family of 5 with two boys on the spectrum. At the admissions desk, we saw there were Sensory Bags available, these were just what was needed, ear defenders, torch, fidget spinners, periscope and loads of other items to keep them occupied while adults explored. There were loads of activities that occupied the kids too. It was nice to stop and get a coffee while they ran around the softplay. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable, making the overall experience great. The outdoor display was great as well. We didn't get time to ride the tracked vehicle and there were some exhibits we couldn't appreciate while keeping an eye on the boys but thoroughly enjoyed the day. Highly recommend it.

Absolutely excellent place to visit. They have a huge collection of tanks and related vehicles, well-displayed and easy to tour the facility. They even have some very rare tanks, some of which are still operational and are run a couple times a year. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. There is so much to see. Any armour or history buff will cherish the time spent. I can't say enough good things about this museum... They far exceeded my expectations. Well done!

As I was in the area I had to revisit this gem of an attraction. Only been here once before as a child and had fond memories of it. I came back as a bit of a tank nerd so I enjoyed it even more. We went on a rainy day so it was fairly busy as everyone else had the same idea. Lots of tanks from the birth of the tank all the way to modern times. A significant number of British and German tanks to see too, very good if you are a WWII enthusiast, especially as it includes highlights like both the Tiger I and the Tiger II, a couple of t-34s, Sherman's, Churchill's and many more. The modern tanks include the challenger 2 a personal favourite. Once a day there is a live vehicle display in the arena which is really good to see the vehicles in action. I would love to see the working Tiger in action too.

What a fabulous day we had here. Very knowledgeable guides to answer questions. You will need 4 or 5hrs for your visit. Make sure you get the annual pass for the same price. The exhibitions are so informative if you read everything it would take a week. There's a reasonable selection of food in the restaurant, plus there's a cafe. There are tracked vehicle rides available. Overall a well worth while visit we will be back in the Spring.

Excellent day! No need of an ID and the ticket purchase is an annual pass (save your email with the bare code). The kitchen on the 1st floor is really nice and vegan friendly. The staff are all nice and helpful if needed. Been with a friend from 12:30 pm until closing. I definitely recommend the full day for the first time explorers as there are plenty of things to do and see and if the time is short it might not get everything. Also, at the end there’s a little snap art where you can take pictures and email them to your email- the email doesn’t save and have to insert it every time. Fun day with children over 6-7.

If you love tanks, then this place is for you. The attention to detail to the tank presentation is out of this world. Information on the tanks is very accurate and interesting. To be honest, I wasn't ready to leave and spent a good 4 hours there and still didn't see everything. 10/10 Best tank museum in the world. Plus the kids loved it!

Massively surprised by the scale of this museum, researched it quite a bit before visiting but the areas just kept on going. Cafes were nice and clean, also provided a good seating area looking over the arena where they were practising for an event. Also prepare yourself for the shop, I got slightly overwhelmed by the amount of stock haha Plus the tickets last got 12 months....

More than just a collection of tanks, this vast attraction with hundreds of tanks with themed exhibitions is great for all ages. There are lots of little touches to keep young kids engaged like little models, toy soldiers and hands on exhibits. Annual pass included if you book online in advance. There’s a lot to fit in. We came on a day when the tanks weren’t running - which would have been amazing if they were.

Excellent day out with lots to see and do. Lots to keep the children entertained too. You need at least 4 hours minimum but plan for 5 and the best part is the display is all under cover. We'll worth the money in today's climate of costs.

Very well thought out museum. Has plenty of interest for young children as well as adults. Very much changed since my last visit in the 1980s. Good gift shop as well.

Superb museum, too much to take in all in one visit but the bonus of being able to return anytime in a year means you dont have to. Well presented exhibits, much more than just tanks. Friendly staff. All in all a great day out

Vast collection of tanks and armoured vehicles from history to the present day. All exhibits are "look AND touch". Helpful, friendly and knowledgeable staff. A great full day's outing. Minor criticism - not enough "hands on" exhibits, cutaways, simulations, etc. Reasonable entry prices. Free parking. Cafe and restaurant on site.