Visit Cabinet War Rooms are now part of the Imperial War Museum, but were used by the British government between 1939 and 1945.
During this period, the War Rooms served as a wartime bunker for Churchill and his government during the Blitz.
It was also an intelligence zone for providing summaries to King George VI.
Today, I'm talking about it.
Cabinets War Rooms: article summary
Cabinet War Room: Churchill's World War II bunker
The museum devotes an entire section to former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, which served from 1940 to 1945.
Churchill used the bunker to hold secret telephone conversations with President Roosevelt, broadcast films to inform British citizens throughout the war and even declare war on Germany.
But more importantly, the bunker provided Churchill and his cabinet with a private and secure space in which to plan the actions that Britain should undertake during the Second World War.
Hundreds of people are said to have lived here at any one time throughout the war, and the bunkers eventually included staff dormitories, private rooms for military officers and high-ranking ministers.
A place steeped in history
The bunker also provided Churchill with his own bedroom office, where his daughter and wife sometimes slept.
After the end of the war, the bunker rooms remained untouched for many years, but in 1984 the War Rooms were finally opened to the public. to inform visitors about Britain's involvement in the Second World War.
Cabinet War Room: explore the War Rooms
Strolling through the dimly lit corridors, visitors will pass various sections of the War Rooms such as:
- The map room
- The transatlantic telephone room
- Mrs Churchill's bedroom
- The room where Churchill used to record programs for the British public
Visit Churchill MuseumThere is a 15-metre-long interactive gallery, allowing visitors to walk past each section to find out more about Churchill's life in chronological order.
Tourists can easily spend a whole day reading about the life of the former Prime Minister, from his birth to his death.
This corridor also includes intimate photographs of Churchill and his family, as well as photographs of the War Rooms during the Second World War.
You can also read the letters between Churchill and his wife Clementine, see his cigar and famous suit or one of his early paintings.
Some practical tips for your visit
Be prepared to get lost in the labyrinthine corridors. It's not uncommon for visitors to pass certain sections or even lose members of their party without realizing it until they've exited the museum.
There's a ton of reading material, so if you're visiting with young children or aren't interested in standing for hours, you may need to cut your visit short.
Be prepared for long queues during the vacations or summer months. If you plan to spend a lot of time reading all the museum material, try to arrive just before the War Rooms open.
Cabinet War Room: how to get there
you can get there in several different ways. You can take :
- By subway, the nearest stations are Westminster and St James's Park
- By train to Charing Cross and Victoria stations
- By bus via routes 3, 11, 12, 24, 24, 53, 53, 87, 88, 109, 148, 159, 184, 211 and 453.
Practical information
The average recommended visit lasts around 90 minutes, but you could easily spend more than a few hours inside the museum.
Thanks to the audio systems, visitors can explore the museum at their own pace, but it's easy to get lost wandering from room to room. there are no arrows or signs throughout the museum.
Cabinet War Room: what are the opening hours?
The Churchill War Rooms are open :
- Every day 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The museum will be closed on December 24, 25 and 26.
How much does admission cost?
- 18 £ for adults
- 8,15 £ for children aged 5 to 15
The Cabinets War Rooms are an important place to visit if you're interested in the Second World War. During your visit, you can discover what life was like in London at the time of the blitz.