Brand new children’s obstacle course is open for visitors
Hampshire Cultural Trust has opened an exciting outdoor adventure obstacle course at Aldershot Military Museum. Originally planned to open just before lockdown, children can now jump, leap, climb and swing through the brand new 11 obstacle assault course that is inspired by real British Army courses used during World War II.
The addition of the assault course has been made possible through the generous support of Hampshire County Council, TAG Farnborough Airport Community Environmental Fund managed by Rushmoor Borough Council and the Friends of Aldershot Military Museum. It plays a key part in Hampshire Cultural Trust’s commitment to offering outstanding cultural experiences to both residents and visitors.
The assault course, which is set up so that little soldiers can compete against each other as well as tackle the course individually, has 11 obstacles of varying difficulty so it can be enjoyed by adventurers of all ages. Starting with the Jump and Land, inspired by the 1940s obstacle of climbing up a log ladder before jumping from a platform, children will move on to Balancing Logs, also used during the 1940s, and the Zig Zag Balance Beam. From here there are obstacles to conquer including the Island Hoppers, raised stepping stone logs similar to those used by World War II recruits, Pole Climb and the Traverse Ladder, inspired by a challenging 1940s monkey bar style obstacle called The Tarzan.
Paul Sapwell, Chief Executive of Hampshire Cultural Trust said, “As well as making an already action-packed day out at Aldershot Military Museum even more thrilling, this course is a new, interactive way for visitors to learn about Aldershot’s military past. It’s based on real British Army courses from the 1940s, and is already proving to be extremely popular with our young visitors”
Opened in 1984, Aldershot Military Museum is housed in the only surviving brick-built barrack blocks left in Aldershot. Through vibrant collections, including military objects and vehicles, it tells the story of daily life for both soldiers and civilians since 1854. The museum is operated by Hampshire Cultural Trust, an independent charity set up in 2014 to promote Hampshire as a county that offers outstanding cultural experiences to both its residents and visitors.
To help keep everyone safe, Aldershot Military Museum has made some changes including introducing a number of measures in line with government guidelines to help manage visitor numbers and ensure social distancing is maintained to protect visitors, staff and volunteers.