Plymouth Dome is a modern building situated on the sea front road between the Hoe and the Sound and,although not a historical site in itself,since it opened in 1993 has proved to be very popular with visitors.A walkthrough (and wheelchair accessible) exhibition of Elizabethan Plymouth demonstrates the general life and times of the 16th and 17th centuries including an ingenious attempt to convey the sorts of smells you might have encountered if you had lived in a busy port at that time.
Then move on to learn about Plymouth's part in the Civil War when the defenders kept the Royalists at bay for 3 years losing,it is said,over 8,000 dead in the process.Next comes a film show which follows Plymouth's fortunes during WWII and explains how the city was devastated during the bombing raids of 1941.The German's main target was the naval dockyards but many bombs fell on the city centre to the east and you'll learn how Plymouth was rebuilt and revitalised in the 1950s.This exhibition is a fascinating incite into Plymouth's past and is a worthwhile stop for any visitor to the city.