Cumberland House
Natural History Museum and Butterfly House
The museum is run by Portsmouth City Council's Museum Service and is next to Canoe
Lake in Eastern Parade, Southsea. It is open free of charge every day.
Exhibits concentrate on local wildlife, covering both the present day and looking back at geological processes.
The Butterfly House is at the rear of the museum. It is open during the
spring and summer, with free-flying species from Europe and the tropics. It was originally
built by volunteers with materials supplied by the city council. Some of the woodwork has been renewed recently.
The Friends of Cumberland House
The Friends of Cumberland House Society are working with the city council to ensure that the museum is adequately resourced and has a clear future. It is widely recognised that some of the exhibits are in need of refurbishment and modernisation in order to be more attractive and to be relevant to the National Curriculum. The museum is situated in an area with a number of childrens' attractions. These could be enhanced by more imaginative use of the building in future. For more details on the work of the Society, see
The Friends of Cumberland House.
See also Portsmouth Museum Service's web page on the museum.
Canoe Lake
The lake is between Cumberland House and South Parade Pier, grid ref. SZ655983.
Canoe Lake is the last remnant of an area of open water known as the Great
Morass, which most of Southsea now sits on. The sides have long been defined by concrete. Boating activities include radio-controlled models and human-powered pedalos.
Sea water is used to top up the lake by opening a sluice at high tide. Crabs, fish and probably various other marine creatures find their way in, and attract fisherkids equipped with a piece of bacon on a string.
When undisturbed there are regularly Swan and Mallard, with less frequent
visits from Tufted Duck, Mediterranean Gull, Cormorant and Little Grebe. Thanks
to Brian Fellows for data.
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