The Royal Marines Museum in Portsmouth occupies Eastney Barracks, a historic site built in the 1860s to house the Portsmouth Division of the Royal Marines. The barracks served as a military installation for over a century before being converted into a museum in the 1980s.

Several ghost stories have emerged from the museum’s long history. One of the most frequently reported apparitions is that of a Royal Marine officer in full dress uniform, often seen patrolling the corridors at night. Staff and visitors have described hearing phantom footsteps and witnessing doors opening and closing on their own.

Another recurring tale involves the spirit of a young drummer boy who allegedly died in the barracks during the 19th century. Witnesses claim to have heard the faint sound of a drum coming from empty rooms, particularly in the older parts of the building.

The museum’s clock tower is said to be haunted by the ghost of a sergeant who committed suicide there in the early 1900s. People have reported seeing a shadowy figure near the tower and experiencing sudden drops in temperature.

In the former officers’ mess, now part of the museum, there have been accounts of glasses moving on their own and the smell of cigar smoke when no one is present. Some believe this to be the spirit of a high-ranking officer who once frequented the mess.

The parade ground, visible from the museum windows, has been the site of reported spectral formations of Marines marching in perfect unison, only to vanish moments later.