churchill Keyword
Cabinet War Rooms
One of the most interesting things I have seen so far in London is the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill museum. The Museum opened in 2005, and the War Rooms in 1983 making the exhibits reasonably new. The technically brilliant and interactive museum is a delight for Churchill fans and those interested in World War II history.
The Cabinet War Rooms is a series of bunkers, originally covering nearly 3 acres, built secretly under Whitehall. Covered with a massive slab of concrete the bunkers were used as a base for all of Churchill’s wartime operations between 1938 and 1945. It included communications systems with a direct, scrambled line to the US, typing pools, sleeping quarters and kitchens supplying nurshiment for the crew stationed down in the bunker around the clock. Much of the bunker was left as it was when VE was declared.
After picking up a complimentary audio guide the tour begins with the Cabinet Conference Room where Churchill brought together his War Cabinet based on leaders from all the political parties of the time. Those working there, got up, turned off the lights and left, leaving the space as is. Continuing through the tour you see the sleeping quarters of high ranking officers and assistants to the prime minister, communications rooms, the secret room containing the direct line to the US (which was made to look like an occupied toilet) and the kitchen.
In the middle of the tour you come across the Churchill museum. Cataloguing Churchill’s life from young man to his death this in depth and very entertaining museum presents its wealth of information in the form of multimedia presentations, movies, audio, interactive exhibits and memorabilia.
The last part of the self guided tour takes you through the working areas of the bunkers. The typing pools and offices are on display giving a glimpse of what life was like in the bunker. Perhaps the most interesting room was the map room, where all the movements and details of units and advances were tracked. Again, left as it was when everyone left this room is an amazing look at wartime history.
I spent hours wandering the museum and warrooms, and for around 16 quid, including a guide book, it was a great, cheap day out.