Very interesting to see and the fact that it was free was even better. Really great to wander around the tunnels. My favourite part was seeing the old graffiti from the guards many years ago.

For a free afternoon out you really cannot beat Fort Nelson, I've paid £20 admission to see places with less than a quarter of what Fort Nelson has to offer. Exhibits are well presented, interactive, with just enough information (not going into too much 'nerdy' detail). There are wide open spaces for kids to run around in and also dark mysterious tunnels to explore. Being on top of Portsdown Hill also means that the views over Portsmouth and the Solent are stunning, the views to the front of the fort over open countryside aren't bad either. The cafe looked a little on the expensive side, but hey, the place is free so who cares! I took the guided tour which does cost a fiver but it was probably the best value for a fiver I've had in a very long time. Bubbly and enthusiastic tour guide Sarah probably knows more about the history of the place than the guide book does - I'd happily (and probably will) re visit just for the 'Sarah' experience! Amazing place.

As three aged adults we found this an amazing place and had a wonderful visit. If you're local and have a young family it must be bliss as there is so much to do here and entry is free so you can visit a different area each time. The fort is one of Palmerston's Follies, built in the mid nineteenth century as a defence against possible French attack. It is largely underground and has various batteries and galleries to cover both sea approaches to Portsmouth and land access to the fort itself. The fort is now run by the Royal Armouries and has displays of artillery from the twelfth century to the Cold War. The biggest exhibit has to be an 18" railgun (excluding the Supergun from the Iraq war that was never actually fired) and there are a variety of pieces both indoors and outdoors. Western ones, certainly after the eighteenth century, tended to be very plain and functional but some of the eastern ones are real works of art. There are also displays on Victorian barrack life as well as the building of the forts around Portsmouth. There are tunnels - surprisingly deep - that you can walk down for visits to the galleries defending the fort as well as rooftop batteries. We spent about 3 hours here and could probably return in a few months and do the same again. The cafe was a nice place to sit and reflect on what we'd seen after our visit.

Visited here with friends. I had no prior knowledge about this fort and its history so I was surprised to discover just how interesting the site is including centuries of cannons and guns. A real surprise and worth visiting again for a longer time.

Been here twice now. Entrance is free, but you are asked to pay just £3 for the close car park. Staff are very friendly and also knowledgeable. It's quite a large site so allow yourself a good 4 hours to get around slowly. Lots of steps and steep slopes to negotiate so may not be suitable for those of us who are less able to get about. An amazing example of Victorian engineering. Plenty on display to see and watch. Very many Guns / Cannons on display. I couldn't help but feel that there are a lot of rooms / areas that are not open to the public, but would be amazing to see if this place had a little more money to spend? Food and drink in the Cafe are also very reasonably priced.

Well worth visiting for both the fort and the excellent exhibitions. An amazing collection of cannons from across the world and across the ages. A lot to see so it takes a couple of hours to take it all in. The tunnel is an interesting experience and ultimately leads to the courtyard where you’ll see a massive rail cannon along with other displays. Very pleasant staff, convenient parking (£3) with free entry to the fort. Also a short drive to Portchester Castle so possible to visit two excellent locations in one day.

Fort Nelson is a must visit if staying Hampshire. It’s free to enter but you have to pay £3 to park. It’s really worth it as there’s so much to see for all ages and for military and non military nerds. A spacious cafe with great prices, a lot cheaper than other attractions cafes in the area. A well stocked giftshop, plenty of toilet facilities and disabled access. I highly recommend paying five pound to take a guided tour around the site. It compliments your self guided experience. We were lucky to be taken around by Gemma who was so knowledgeable and you could tell she had a real enthusiasm for her job.Myself and my friend were the only ones on the tour so it was more like a private tour. All the staff I spoke too from the cafe to the gift shop were so friendly and chatty. It’s great to see such enthusiastic staff as it totally makes the experience. I hope this review gets passed onto the staff to say thankyou for a enjoyable day

It’s Neville the Bear here reporting in after my superb visit to Fort Nelson today. I had a lot of fun exploring the tunnels and looking at all the big guns on display. The staff were very welcoming to us bears. It’s a very informative museum and excellent for a family day out as it’s free entry (just £3 to park the car). The only thing I would say that could be improved is the selection of cakes in the cafe. Us bears do tend to get a bit peckish and there wasn’t much choice. Other than that I would thoroughly recommend.

Had the pleasure of a guided tour of the East Tunnels at Fort Nelson. Bought tickets via Eventbrite and went on the hour long tour of the tunnels. Two very informative guides showed us this area of the fort that’s normally closed to the public The tunnels are unrestored and are an interesting view of what most of the hidden areas of the fort must look like. Some of the areas are uneven underfoot and only part of the tunnel would be accessible to wheelchair users. Definitely recommended.

What a lovely place! Such friendly and informative staff. We took 3 of our grandchildren aged 1, 3 and 5. There was a trail for the children to follow and they were able to have hands on most things! The older grandson (age 5) said, "Wow! This place is the best!" I would highly recommend Fort Nelson for a great experience.