The Churchill War Rooms

1 to 2 hours

A fascinating place to visit for teenagers and up. As well as many items to see and interesting spaces to explore, the Churchill War Rooms is home to 'The Lifeline Table'. A 15 metre long interactive table chronicling major world events between the 19th – 20th century and Churchill's activities during WWII in particular.

Are you ready to travel back to the past? The CWR feels like it really is frozen in time. In the 1980s it was restored to how it was arranged during WWII and it’s doors flung open to the public wishing to visit.

Known originally as the New Public Offices, from June 1938 this building was selected to be converted into a bunker of sorts to be used by the British Cabinet Office. Completed just a week before the start of WWII this became the absolute nerve centre of the British war effort.

The Cabinet Office and Defence team met in this space just over 300 times between 1939-45, whilst bombs were being dropped all around the area.

A warren of corridors and countless rooms are all displayed as they were during the 1940s. Many meeting rooms, filled with wooden and leather furniture. Original light fittings, flood-proof doors and a great many - noiseless - Remington typewriters.

See Winston Churchill's wooden desk chair and where he held top secret telephone conversions with the President of the U.S.A. The very first hotline!

No flushing toilets were ever installed, instead chemical toilets were used and you can see one up close (behind a sealed pane of glass you’ll be pleased to hear!)

Halfway along the route the Churchill Museum reveals itself. Hundreds of fascinating items can be seen up close, including an original Enigma machine, which the Germans used to transmit coded messages. Find out how the British decoded it with the help of mathematician Alan Turing and his team.

We’ll see many items that belonged to Churchill, including his famous siren suits (I'll explain during the tour) and would you believe... a pair of his very own silk pyjamas, how fancy!

Also on display is one of his Cuban cigars and a bottle of his favourite whisky. Following the museum we’ll continue on the trail of the war rooms, where you can see Clementine’s bedroom (wife of Churchill) plus Churchill's bedroom/office as well as the Map room, where access was once only granted to the very highest of officials but today you’re invited to explore!

Please note admission tickets are required in order to visit the Churchill War Rooms