Churchill War Rooms
I haven’t been to the Churchill War Rooms, located in the heart of Westminster, for a long time, so was looking forward to my return with the kids, and now they learn about the Second World War at school, their knowledge is probably better than mine at that age!
The Churchill War Rooms were the secret underground headquarters where Winston Churchill and his team masterminded the course of the Second World War whilst bombs were raining down on London. Visitors can see where the staff lived and worked, an understand how the decisions made here changed the course of history. It provides a revealing insight into the real Churchill and his role in British history.
New items on display in the War Rooms include personal correspondence discussing the fate of the War Rooms, a private admissions ticket from the days when visitors had to request special entry to view the site, and a poster from 1984 advertising the exciting forthcoming opening of the Cabinet War Rooms to the public. The complex of historic rooms and tunnels have been left as they were in 1945, and there is a distinctive atmosphere about the place that evokes a real feeling of stepping back in time. The Cabinet Room, Map Room and the room from where Churchill delivered four of his wartime speeches, are all here to marvel over and inspect. The exemplary way in which the stories are presented, the attention to detail, and the personal memories provided by the audio guides all enable you to really get a sense of what it was like to be there at the time.
Within the War Rooms, the Churchill Museum is housed. It is one of the best museums I have ever visited. It comprises an impressive range of multimedia displays and rare significant historical items, all relevant to the life of Churchill. The Lifeline is a 15 metre long interactive ‘lifeline’ where you can slide your finger along the strips at the edge to open documents, photos and film clips. We were all looking at the Lifeline for a long time, and there was still so much we missed. It was fascinating for kids and adults alike, with many interactive exhibits. The museum expertly showcases Churchill’s life, from his younger years, to his wilderness years and his time as a war leader. It was also interesting to watch the footage of his funeral, and see the Union Jack Flag which was draped over Churchill’s coffin as his body lay in state in Westminster Hall. More personal items, such as letters from his wife, Clementine, are also there to read, and which provide an alternative insight into Churchill the family man. The kids loved his ‘Siren suit’ - they preferred to call it his ‘onesie’- which he designed himself and famously wore throughout the war years to retain a measure of comfort during the long working hours.
We should also make special mention of the Transatlantic Telephone Room, where Churchill conducted his top-secret conversations with Roosevelt. It was disguised as a toilet!
Be sure to pick up one of the excellent audio guides (they also have ones for kids), which explain each step of the experience, setting the scene and providing further details should you wish to find out more, at each point of interest. What makes these audio guides so interesting is the sound bites from people who actually lived and worked in the rooms during the war, and the memories they describe.
This year, the Churchill War Rooms celebrated their 30th anniversary of the public opening, and it is not hard to see why this popular attraction attracts thousands of visitors each year. The Churchill War Rooms are part of the Imperial War Museum’s family of five museums that also includes HMS Belfast, IWM London, IWM Duxford and IWM North. On the very same day, we managed to squeeze in a visit to HMS Belfast (as follows), although we could easily have spent the best part of a day at both of these attractions, as there is so much to take in and explore.
Open Daily: 9.30am – 6pm. Last admission 5pm. (Closed 24 – 26 December).
Admission: £17.50 Adults; £14.00 Concessions (Senior, Student, Disabled); Children (under 16) Free; Special rates for groups of 15 or more.
For further information visit: www.iwm.org.uk