In 2025 we introduce two new exhibitions in the Gallery:
The America’s Cup - the Formula 1 of Yacht Racing
HMS Cavalier - From the Medina to the Medway

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Try out our Dinghy Simulator - Come and enjoy sailing and never get cold and wet!

Especially for the young and young at heart, a virtual sailing experience, which has been part-funded with a grant of £9,900 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

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The Dinghy Simulator is a cockpit of a sailing dinghy connected to a computer and a pneumatic ram. Cruise or race around the buoys. Control the boat with the main sheet, the tiller, and your weight position. Choose the type of boat you sail and set the wind speed and direction. It’s a great way of learning if you’re just starting out, it comes with a special seat for disabled sailors, and a challenge can be set for experienced dinghy sailors as well. The simulator imparts the sheer thrill of sailing and teaches important skills in thinking ahead and minimising risk.

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It will be a key part of the museum’s new education programme, developed with the support of the Isle of Wight Heritage Services. Students and visitors alike will enjoy the virtual experience of operating the simulator together with viewing boats, models, artefacts, paintings and photographs, all which display the Island’s rich maritime history.

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