Just a few steps away from the Palace of Westminster, the British Parliament, is a very special museum, the “Churchill War Room“. These rooms were only opened to the public in 1980.
Churchill’s War Room was the secret command centre for the British military from 1939 to 1945 during the Second World War Construction of these rooms 15 metres underground was already begun in 1938. To be protected against possible air raids it was equipped with a concrete ceiling with a thickness of 3 metres as well as with additional supporting pillars. The bunker was completed and fully functional in time for the British participation in the Second World War.
Its facilities included, for example, a top secret and supposedly bugproof telephone line between the British Prime Minister and the US President Roosevelt in the so-called Transatlantic Telephone Room. This room was not even known to all of the staff members and was concealed by a locked bathroom door. A visit to the Churchill’s War Room Museum was free with the London Pass. An audio guide is also available for free and is a great source of information.
Our visit to the museum was absolutely worthwhile. Many details from history are highlighted here, fascinating especially for those interested in the history of World War II. A lot of rooms, among them the staff quarters and also Churchill’s rooms, can be visited. Also the Chart Room can be visited. This room was used for meetings between military decision makers and even today many strategic maps from that time can be seen here. Mannequins are used to recreate the situation in the bunker, which I found very interesting. It was like time had stopped and the visitors behind the protecting glass walls were spectators of the past itself.
Enough time needs to be set aside for this visit. Our experience was that people were let in very slowly. That takes time but also has the advantage that the museum was never overcrowded and everyone could get a good look at the exhibits without having to fight for a spot in the front row.
Address:
Clice Steps, King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AQ
United Kingdom
Opening Hours (2018):
Daily 09.30 – 18.00
Admission Charges (2018):
Adults: 21 Pounds
Reduced prices available
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