About this museum
Also known as / searched as: Solent Sky Museum · Southampton aviation museum · Spitfire museum Southampton · Sandringham flying boat · Solent Sky Southampton
Southampton is the Spitfire's home town — R.J. Mitchell designed it here, Supermarine built it here, and the Luftwaffe flattened the factory for exactly that reason. Solent Sky packs the whole regional saga (26 manufacturers between 1910 and 1960) into one hall, with the flying-boat era given proper weight: you can board a Short Sandringham and inspect a bunk-equipped flying hotel from the age when Southampton Water was Britain's runway to the Empire.
Listed inventory: 23 airframes.
- Supermarine S.6A N248, 1929 Schneider racer
- Short Sandringham "Beachcomber" flying boat
- Spitfire F.24, the final mark
- Saro SR.A/1 — the world’s only jet flying-boat fighter
Supermarine S.6A N248, the 1929 Schneider Trophy racer from the bloodline that begat the Spitfire — parked beneath its descendant for maximum genetic clarity.
Museum cat 'Scramble' has a fan club in the reviews. Compact but dense; combine with the city's Spitfire memorial trail.
- “Amazing museum full of real airplanes made nearby. A treasure trove of aviation history. The staff was both knowledgeable and helpful!!!”— Cary B
- “My daughter and I visited today, found the staff knowledgeable and friendly, wonderful displays with rich history, definitely worth a visit!”— Riaan VH
- “Very enthusiastic people running this place. From the outside, you'd never know there were so many airplanes and exhibits inside. It's well worth a visit if you're in the area.”— Colorado Rydes
Public map reports · excerpted for reference · not reviews collected by this gazetteer
The collection in profile
18 types held here that we have drawn and built in 3D. Choose one to turn it over, or see all 168 in The Hangar.
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S.6A
Supermarine S.6A
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Quadruplane
Wight Quadruplane
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Saunders-Roe SR.A/1
SR.A/1
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504K
504K
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de Havilland Tiger Moth
Tiger Moth II
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Supermarine Walrus
Walrus I
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Mignet HM.14 Flying Flea
HM.14 Flying Flea
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Spitfire
Spitfire LF Mk IX
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Sunderland
Sunderland MR.5
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Vampire
Vampire FB.5
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Swift
Swift FR.5
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Gnat T.1
Gnat T.1
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Chipmunk
DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10
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Saunders-Roe Skeeter
Skeeter AOP.12
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Slingsby Tutor
Slingsby T.31B Tandem Tutor (RAF Cadet TX.3)
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Hawker Siddeley Harrier
Harrier GR.3
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BAC One-Eleven
One-Eleven 510ED
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Britten-Norman Islander
BN-2A-26 Islander
Frequently asked
What are the opening times for Solent Sky?
Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 12–5pm. Verify current opening times with the museum before travelling.
How much does Solent Sky cost?
Adult admission is listed as £14. Check the museum's current prices before travelling.
Which aircraft can you see at Solent Sky?
The listed collection includes Supermarine Spitfire F.24 (PK683), Short Sandringham 4 (VH-BRC), Supermarine S.6A (N248), Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 (TG263), Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3 cockpit section (XV760). Aircraft move between displays, so confirm current holdings before travelling.
Does Solent Sky have parking or a cafe?
Parking is recorded on site; a cafe or restaurant is recorded. Check current facilities with the museum before travelling.
Airframe checklist
Tick them off as you go. Identities are as held in the gazetteer survey — verify against the museum’s own labels if something has moved.
Inventory last verified 2026-10-08: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4. Aircraft move between sites; report corrections to the compiler.
Location & contact
- Address
- Albert Rd S, Southampton SO14 3FR
- Phone
- 023 8063 5830
- Website
- www.solentsky.org/
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 12–5pm
(from your local clock — verify before travel) - Gazetteer
- SE-01 · South East England · the situation map