The History of The Tank Museum

It’s safe to say The Tank Museum has been around a while. Many of you reading this would have visited the Museum across the vast number of decades we have been open. In this article, we are going to have a very brief look at how the Museum has developed into one of the most popular museums on the planet!

Origins

To say The Tank Museum has very humble beginnings would be an understatement. The first reference to a ‘Tank Museum’ is the heading of a small entry in the Tank Corps Journal from November 1919;

“In a small railed off enclosure near the Tank Schools there is a very interesting collection of Tanks, every type being represented from the Mk. I, to the latest infantry carrier. ‘Little Willie’, the original experimental Tank, made in the early days, is also present.”

Journal cutting showing the first reference to the 'Tank Museum' — The first reference to the ‘Tank Museum’.

This enclosure was located inside the ‘Tank Park’ – effectively where the modern-day Army Trials Unit (formerly ADTU) is based on Bovington Camp. This remained the Museum for the whole of the 1920s, with King George V visiting the camp in 1928, and accurately recalling Little Willie’s trials from January 1916.

Black and white image of the Tank Park — The Tank Park. Little Willie can be seen on the far right.

Black and white image of King George with a tank — King George V’s visit.

For an actual organisation, we must again turn to the Royal Tank Corps Journal, this time in 1930. Major General Sir John Capper penned an impassioned letter pushing for the formal creation of a Corps Museum. A year later he got his wish. In February 1931, the decision was made to establish the RTC Museum.

Black and white image of a tank outside a shed — Early sheds at The Tank Museum.

At some point between 1928 and 1933, the collection had taken over a couple of sheds belonging to the Driving and Maintenance School – and subsequently filled them. This was described as “The Wonder House”.

During the Second World War, the Museum’s collection was effectively mothballed as all personnel were reassigned to more pressing drafts – and it was during this period that a large number of the vehicles were taken to be scrapped for the war effort, while others were placed in defensive positions across the south coast – our Mark IV was based at Whale Island in Portsmouth, and the Vickers Medium was based at Lulworth.

The Beginnings of the Modern Museum

From 1947 the Museum began to be housed in one half of another D&M School Building – this is the current Second World War Hall – with a full takeover of that building happening shortly after. Crucially, the nature of the Museum changed as well.

Before the war, it was the RTC Museum, but as the Royal Armoured Corps had been formed in 1939, it meant that post war, the Museum was to be both the Regimental Museum for the RTR and the Corps Museum for the RAC.

Black and white image of a hanger with three tanks — The D&M hanger with the dividing curtain between the old and modern vehicles clearly seen.

At the same time, the number of vehicles began to swell. The ‘modern’ British tanks arrived in the late 40s, and the wartime German models came in the early 50s. As these pictures from 1970 show, even with a number of vehicles kept outside, the building was rather full…

Black and white image of people queueing for The Tank Museum — A rather busy day in 1970 at The Tank Museum.

Black and white image of cars parked outside the museum

Black and white image of Tanks with people climbing on them

General Sir Alan Jolly, Quartermaster General to the Forces, managed to secure funding for the Museum’s first major expansion. The hall which currently houses our Warhorse to Horsepower Exhibition, was opened in 1971, and named in his honour. However, this hall initially contained wheeled vehicles and ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles).

The Forty Years/The Expansion

In 1981, the Museum appointed a new curator, Lt. Col. George Forty (RTR). And what followed was the busiest era of expansion to the Tank Museum to date.

First on the list was a new entrance. Previously, visitors would enter the Museum close to where the Memorial Room is now, with admissions and the shop being in the same area. Forty wanted to increase the commercial aspects of the organisation, so the new entranceway included a large new shop and restaurant, as well as a lecture theatre. This was opened in 1983.

1986 saw the Museum’s collection of First World War vehicles have a purpose-built home with the construction of what is officially called the George Forty Hall. The hall now contains our Tank Men exhibition. Jumping forward very briefly, in 1997, the Trench Experience opened, which cuts across the bottom of both the Alan Jolly and George Forty Halls.

The front of the museum and the car park — The new entrance.

A tank with mannequins sitting on and standing around it — Our Mark II inside the George Forty Hall.

Hall with tanks and tank related items — The British Steel Hall in the early 90s housing some of the equipment captured during the 1991 Gulf War.

By the late 1980s, the Museum had collected a large number of armoured vehicles from the post war period, and these needed somewhere to be displayed. Funding and materials were donated by British Steel for the new hall – which was aptly called the British Steel Hall. This is now home to Tanks for the Memories.

The final addition to the Museum under Forty’s tenure was to be a large hall, initially holding experimental vehicles. Partly funded by the Tamiya Company, Mr Tamiya himself opened the new hall in 1990. The Tamiya Hall is now a multipurpose space containing a café, soft play, bookshop, a number of our heavier vehicles, and importantly our new exhibition on the war in Ukraine.

Scaffolding of the Tamiya Hall — The Tamiya Hall under construction.

Hall with several tanks — The first use of the Tamyia Hall – this section of the hall now holds our exhibition on the Ukraine conflict.

A New Millenium

Under the leadership of Lt. Col. John Woodward (1993-2006), follwed by the first civilian Museum director, Richard Smith (2006-2023), the Museum would begin a transformation to become the organisation we recognise today. The key enabler of this was the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

A stylised view of outside the main entrance to the museum. — The artist’s impression of the new building.

The result of this funding was huge. First built were the new facilities to house the Supporting Collection. However, the focal point of the building programme was called ‘At Close Quarters’. This was a new entrance, shop and restaurant, as well as a large new display hall – The Tank Story Hall. At the same time, a new arena was developed (with a large tower to act as its control point – yes, that’s what that is for). This expansion was opened in 2009 by HM The Queen.

But it didn’t stop there. In 2014 the Vehicle Conservation Centre (VCC) was opened and is now home to around 100 AFVs (Armoured Fighting Vehicles), and 2016 saw the opening, by Princess Anne, of the new Workshops.

Large shed with tanks and ATV's — The VCC interior.

Princess Anne talking to a crowd in front of a tank — Princess Anne opens the new workshops.

The Current Museum

Over the last few years, the Museum has continued to evolve with both our YouTube Channel and Online Shop taking off in popularity during the pandemic. Plus, there has been a complete redesign of the Second World War Hall.

Looking forward, the Museum will continue to evolve and improve. As previously said, we currently have a new exhibition on the war in Ukraine and there will be more upgrades to the Museum coming in the future.