The IWM presents a look into the underground offices of the British government during the Second World War and provides a deeper insight into the life of Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
| 🎫 Tickets | £34 (but members go free) Best to book in advance. |
| 🕐 Opening hours | 09:30 – 18:00 (last entry: 17:00) (Closed from 24 to 26 December) |
| ⏱️ Time needed | 2+ hours |
| 🪖 What to visit? | – Historic War Rooms, including the War Cabinet Room, the Map Room and Churchill’s own bedroom; – The Churchill Museum, shining a light on the life of Sir Winston Churchill; – The mini-expo Undercover: Life in Churchill’s Bunker on life in the complex. |
IWM Churchill War Rooms
Clive Steps
King Charles Street
London, SW1A 2AQ
Part of the IWM group, with museums in London, Duxford and Manchester.
On this page…
The first time we visited the war rooms, we booked quite a late timeslot. I would advise coming here at least two hours before close, especially if you or anybody in your travel group has an interest in history and/or politics. We had to rush through the museum and the historic exhibits.
When we visited again, a couple of years later, we took our time and discovered everything we had to skip the first time around.
Similar sights
Historic War Rooms
Cabinet War Rooms
Visit the bunker from which the British war efforts were led during the Second World War. Construction of the first fortified rooms started in 1938, and starting from 27 August 1939 they became operational. They were in use until 16 August 1945, the day after VJ Day.
As the defences were rather basic at the beginning of the war, the bunker was fortified in 1940, as the Blitz was raging over London and the surrounding buildings and park were hit by bombs. A massive, 3 meters thick layer of concrete, known as the Slab, was poured over most of the bunker in December 1940. And by 1941 the bunker had grown to three times its original size.
On display are personal quarters of some senior figures who spent the majority of their days in the complex; as well as the War Cabinet Room, where important decisions were made; and the Map Room where major operations were planned out.
Undercover: Life in Churchill’s Bunker
In between the first half of the historic exhibition and the museum set-up, is a small exhibition dedicated to everyday life in the complex. It pays tribute to those who lived here during the major part of the war.
The objects on display provide an unusually close insight into the everyday proceedings underground.
Churchill Museum
“You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory at all costs”
~ Winston Churchill’s
‘Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat’
House of Commons, 13 May 1940
A huge chunk of the bunker had its walls torn out to make room for the Churchill Museum. The collection focusses on the life of the famous British Prime Minister. It covers his early life; his political career, including his time as First Lord of the Admiralty (1911-1915) and as Minister of Munitions (1917-1919); his premiership during the Second World War and his career in the years after, including the Cold War.
The collection includes examples of Churchill’s zip-up onesies, the door of No. 10 Downing Street during Churchill’s time, and a big interactive piece on the timeline of his life.
Connected museums
Imperial War Museums (IWM)
The Imperial War Museums are a collection of museums of which the Churchill War Rooms is only one. The following museums and locations are part of IWM:
- IWM London – The central IWM museum with exhibitions on the First World War, the Blitz, the Cold War, etc.
- HMS Belfast (London) – a Town-class light cruiser that was used by the Royal Navy during events such as the Normandy landing and the Korean War. It serves as a museum since 1971.
- IWM North (Manchester) – The Manchester branch of IWM tells the story of the First World War up to the present day.
- IWM Duxford – An airbase turned museum where you can explore iconic aircraft up close.
Other museums
- Bletchley Park (Bletchley, Milton Keynes)
- National Maritime Museum & Greenwich Hospital (London)
- National Army Museum & Chelsea Hospital (London)
