3 Best Sights in Southampton, The South

This museum tells the story of the city's residents—from the earliest settlers through the Romans and Saxons to the present—via artifacts from maritime, local history, archaeology, and archive collections as well as through audiovisual installations. Ships, including the great clippers, feature prominently, especially in the main exhibition devoted to the impact on the city of the sinking of the Titanic, which departed from here in 1912. An interactive model of the ill-fated ship and a wealth of footage and photos provide insight into the lives of the crew, many of whom were recruited locally.

Forming the southeast corner of the town's medieval wall, this late-13th-century gatehouse was expanded in the early 14th century, at the start of the Hundred Years' War, to incorporate a two-story gallery and three-story tower. After extensive restoration, the gallery space is now used for a changing roster of art installations and programs. Before this, it served as a gunpowder factory, the town jail, and an archaeology museum. Don't miss the far-reaching views over the city from the roof. There's also a café and bar.

Built in 1913, this memorial commemorates the departure of the Mayflower and the Speedwell from Southampton Quay bearing Pilgrims and others bound for North America on August 15, 1620. After taking on water, the Speedwell, which had been repaired here, was declared unseaworthy and abandoned a month later in Plymouth, Devon. Several of the original 200 passengers abandoned the journey. The rest were crammed onto the Mayflower, which finally set sail from Plymouth in September with 102 people aboard. A plaque also honors the 2 million U.S. troops who embarked from Southampton for occupied Europe during World War II.