Tanks & The First World War - Bovington Tank Museum

Situated in the heart of the Dorset countryside, The Tank Museum at Bovington is home to one of the largest collections of tanks from around the world, with six large halls jam packed full of vehicles as well as other memorabilia. There are a great many interesting world war one items held at the museum, some of which have we have even mentioned in this series - Hornsby Chain Track Tractor, Tank Mark VIII, Tank Mark IV, Tank Mark I, Tank Mark V, Tank Mark IX, Tank Mark II, The Whippet, Char Renault FT17, Sponson Trailer and of course my favourite, Little Willie. 

To mark the 100th anniversary of the tank, the museum has a new exhibition which was opened last year called Tank men. It consists of telling the stories of eight men to help you get a better understanding of what life inside a tank was like. Another highlight of the museum is of course the replica tank used in the War Horse film. 

But its not just a walk around the museum, they also hold events throughout the year which are always a great day out. Events such as Tiger day and Tankfest allow you to get up close and personal with the tanks as well as be able to speak to the volunteers who preserve them who are always happy to answer your questions. For a small fee, you can also tank a ride in various vehicles on special event days too! 

I personally love the Tankfest event because it has helped me gain more knowledge and a better understanding of battles that have taken place in history. Towards the end of the day, there is usually one large battle rein-acted, complete with pyrotechnics, firing of tanks and sometimes even air displays. I will never forget the year they chose the first world war as their topic and at the end, all the rein-actors stood in front of the War Horse tank and posed for a photo. But this wasn't just any photo, for the tank fired poppies which fell all around them. I can tell you that it was so eerily quiet around the arena as everyone paid their respects and it certainly was moving. 

Both the museum itself and the event days are perfect for any age as well as those with mobility issues. I would definitely recommend taking some money if you are planning on visiting the museum because the gift shop has such a huge range of items you won't know what to choose!