The Tank Museum & Tankfest
This time, our travel story will delve into the world of armored and tracked tanks. In contrast to other British travel chronicles revolving around cities like London and Edinburgh, our journey will take us to a more remote destination. We're heading to Bovington Camp in Dorset, Southern England, which is a 3–4-hour drive from London.
The Bovington Tank Museum is roughly the size of a royal palace, albeit a bit smaller when you consider that it houses hundreds of tanks for exhibition and storage. It's a veritable tank paradise, showcasing over 300 armored vehicles from nearly 30 countries, making it the largest tank collection in the world. What I find most impressive about this museum is that it offers something for everyone.
At the Tank Museum, you'll find trails, interactive games, indoor and outdoor gaming zones, presentations, talks, and tours - including the unique experience of getting inside a real tank. In short, you can easily spend an entire day here without getting bored.
As for other activities at the Tank Museum, you'll find plenty of entertaining options. Thanks to its rich historical context, there's something to delight everyone. It's a tank-themed festival, offering hours of non-stop excitement, with special guest stars present to engage the audience and add a fresh twist to the festivities.
The Tank Museum offers a blend of classic tourist attractions and unique glimpses into genuine history. Inside, you'll discover a remarkable collection of armored fighting vehicles, ranging from the formidable Tiger tank to the iconic T-72. If you're visiting for the first time, the exhibition area provides valuable insights, but don't miss the chance to explore the re-enact as well.
The Tank Museum keeps reinventing Tankfest, their annual showcase of world history, to offer visitors a brand-new experience each year. Over three days, almost 30,000 attendees, hailing from all corners of the globe, immerse themselves in British-style historical narratives and demonstrations. Tankfest is not just a unique form of entertainment for enthusiasts; it stands as a global exhibition of tanking history.
From June 23rd to June 25th, this event attracted large audiences and generated significant funds to support the museum, which had suffered considerable damage. The innovative virtual activities featured thrilling tank encounters and a live-streamed recreation of the famous Arena Showcase, showcasing the Tank Museum's tanks in action.
In England, they always talk about the rain and the ever-changing weather, but it's something we should expect and not fret over too much. Surprisingly, this year's Tankfest took place under scorching sun, subjecting both the armored vehicles and the spectators to intense heat. To keep everyone cool, plenty of water was handed out to the attendees, and the dirt track was regularly watered to prevent dust from obstructing the view.
With a vast collection of over 60 tanks dating from 1917 to the present day, Tankfest provided a one-of-a-kind global historical tank exhibition.
The festival showcased the museum's renowned collection of tanks and military vehicles, including rare items from private collections. Highlights included the Panzer III, a staple of Panzer divisions, and the Matilda II, famous for its role in North African battlefields. The event also featured the Churchill III, a pivotal tank design of its era, along with the Sherman M4A2, known for its presence on all fronts of the Allied armies and its appearance in the 2014 movie 'Fury.' Other notable tanks comprised the Comet A34, regarded as Britain's finest tank from World War II, and the Battle of the Bulge veteran M24 Chaffee. Visitors could also explore the T-72, the world's most widely used main battle tank, which has seen action in every major conflict over the last two decades and serves in the armies of 35 countries. Lastly, the festival offered an up-close look at the vehicles of armored brigades of the modern British Army, immersing visitors in the world of armored vehicles. Tankfest undeniably holds the title of the world's premier festival and exhibition of historic armored vehicles, boasting an unmatched scope and quantity of displayed tanks and military vehicles.
Tank enthusiasts had the chance to watch arena action on large screens. Photography enthusiasts had a dedicated viewing area, and there was a three-day program featuring thrilling armored vehicle displays. In addition to top-notch tank shows, visitors could also delve into living history camps.
We had the opportunity to witness firsthand how tanks, with their impressive maneuverability and firepower, play a crucial role in strategic decision-making. During the re-enact, we experienced how tanks, working in coordination with other units and weaponry, advance and neutralize the enemy by leveraging firepower and maneuverability.
We watched in amazement as these metal giants, their steel frames rumbling and dust swirling around them, advanced undeterred by pits, ditches, mud, or wire fences. There's no doubt that tanks will always be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of armored units.
