United Kingdom · England · Portsmouth
Southsea, Portsmouth — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Southsea is a district of Portsmouth holding the Royal Marines Museum, The D-Day Story and the Cumberland House Natural History Museum.
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Where to stay in Southsea
Each area has its own feel; here's who each one suits.
Three museums anchor the district. A stay in Southsea puts the Royal Marines Museum, The D-Day Story and Cumberland House within the same district, with the Portsmouth Pyramids Centre and the Canoe Lake Gardens adding what a visitor does between them. Church of St Jude, the Church of St Patrick and St Margaret of Scotland are among the parish buildings listed across the district.
Portsmouth itself lies alongside, so a guest can trade the museums of Southsea for the wider city without a long move.
Few places to stay in Southsea — most visitors book in Portsmouth nearby.
About Southsea
What are the main landmarks in Southsea?
Museums and churches dominate. The Royal Marines Museum and The D-Day Story hold the military record, while Cumberland House and the Cumberland House Natural History Museum hold the collections, and the Portsmouth Pyramids Centre is listed with them. Churches take over from there.
Church of St Jude and Church of St Simon are joined by Church of St Peter, Church of St James and the Church of the Holy Spirit. Annesley House, Crescent House and Kent Hall are among the listed dwellings. The Emmanuel Emmanuel Memorial Drinking Fountain marks Canoe Lake Gardens.
What is the history of Southsea?
Southsea dates itself through its buildings. No founding year is recorded for Southsea, so the building list stands in for one, running from Cumberland House and the Royal Marines Museum to a set of parish churches under separate dedications. The D-Day Story keeps the military thread that the Royal Marines Museum also carries, and Portsmouth's own past sits behind both.
Houses came with names of their own: Annesley House, Kersey House and Tulip Tree House among them.
Where is Southsea?
Southsea forms a district of Portsmouth, its ground marked by Canoe Lake Gardens, the Portsmouth Pyramids Centre and a run of parish churches.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Southsea?
Portsmouth: guests who want the whole city rather than one district.
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Updated September 2026