In addition to the main collection theme of items relating to the education and training of Young Officers, the College has paintings and artefacts illustrating the history of Officer training. The collection also includes a large number of general naval historical items to inspire the cadets and instil a sense of tradition in the Young Officers of today.

A fine collection of French prisoner of war bone ship models, two of these representing HMS Britannia. These were fashioned from bone from the prisoners' daily ration of mutton. The late L.J. Cadbury built up the core of this fine collection.

Every cadet at the College kept all of his belongings in a sea chest. These would be taken away to sea with them and their uniform size and shape made them easy to stack and store. The College has a fine restored example from the turn of the last century and two later designs from the 1950s.

The College Archive has a large collection of Midshipmen's journals and punishment records from HMS Britannia. There are a number of famous cadets whose punishment records make interesting reading, such as that of Prince Edward from 1877, which is displayed in the Museum.

The Birley Gallery in the College probably holds the largest single collection of portraits by Sir Oswold Birley. The majority of this imposing collection came to Dartmouth from the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. The centre of the collection is a magnificent portrait of HM King George VI, that is complemented by several images of Lord Mountbatten.

The College has a long association with the Royal Family and has many fine portraits, photographs and artefacts, that record their visits to the College. One such artefact is a fine silver statuette of Britannia sporting the Prince of Wales feathers on her helmet.