Bovington Tank Museum is just 45 minutes from the Waterford Lodge Hotel

The Museum examines the conditions that led to the invention and introduction of the tank, and tells the story of its development in context with the political and social events of a turbulent 20th century.

The Tank Museum is composed of 3 major exhibitions; The Tank Story, The Trench Experience and The Discovery Centre. Find out more here. Over 300 vehicles from 29 nations make up The Museums vehicle collections - which run from the very first tank to the modern British Challenger 2. Many of the vehicles we house are unique and can be seen nowhere else in the world. Tank Rides allow you to ride in the commander’s seat of a main battle tank as it thunders around the Museum arena. In a full and energetic day long experience, fully endorsed by the Royal Tank Regiment, participants will discover more about the history of armoured warfare and get the opportunity to learn how to drive one of our metal monsters. We take you to the neighbouring MOD training area, where you will learn to drive one of the Museum's 432 armoured vehicles. On a two mile cross country circuit available only to The Tank Museum and the Army, you will pass through woodland, over fields and through streams.

Climbing into the commander’s seat of a Main Battle Tank, you will get an idea of how it feels to take charge of a 30 tonne war machine. As you thunder around our bumpy tank arena, climb over the knife edge and plough through our water splash, you will be left in no doubt as to the awesome strength and devastating power of tanks.

The tank was a British invention that changed warfare for ever when it was introduced in World War One, and Bovington has been the home of the tank ever since. From the Somme to Tiananmen Square or D-Day to Desert Storm the tank has played a part in shaping history, and it continues to do so today.

The Tank Museum is the only place where many of these rare and historic vehicles can be seen. Fresh from a £16m investment in new exhibitions and facilities, with almost 200 vehicles on display in 6 large halls, you will come face-to-face with tanks that have seen action in all the major wars of the 20th century.