A 19th century fort which shielded the South coast of England from assaults during World War Two and features a cannon from the Battle of Waterloo and a Supergun used by Saddam Hussein is to be revamped in a £2 million campaign.
A dramatic new entrance gallery and state-of-the-art education facilities will be built at Fort Nelson in Portsmouth after the Royal Armouries won the cash boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The plans include improved access to the iconic Nelson Monument at the historic stronghold.
The blueprint of the new Orienteur gallery, which features a section of Saddam Hussein's "Supergun". RFA Design
"This grant is a fantastic boost to the ambitious redevelopment programme," said Royal Armouries Museum Director Peter Armstrong, who described the funds as "a vital shot in the arm" as organisers bid to raise a further £1.5 million to complete the transformation.
"It will ensure a quality experience which will inform, challenge and entertain our visitor base whilst providing much-needed additional capacity to meet visitor demand."
Tunnels at the Fort are a popular draw for young visitors
Under the new designs, visitors will cross an evocative drawbridge, entering a site built in the 1860s under the orders of Prime Minister Lord Palmerston as the government stepped up efforts to protect the city and its naval base with a chain of fortifications.
It also served as a transit camp for troops on their way to Europe in World War One and supplied ammunition to anti-aircraft batteries against German bombers in World War Two.
The collection of more than 350 cannons from centuries of global battle is a major military attraction, and punter numbers at the Fort more than doubled between 2000 and 2005. The free museum will remain open throughout the building works, which are expected to start in 2010.
