Churchill War Rooms

Visit the Iconic Churchill War Rooms

Explore the Churchill War Rooms, part of the Imperial War Museums, which sheltered Sir Winston Churchill and his wartime government during the Second World War. Discover the underground bunker network that protected staff and secrets at the heart of the British government as Churchill and his inner circle plotted the path to Allied victory.

The Cabinet War Rooms

• Location: Beneath the Treasury building in the Whitehall area of Westminster.
• Construction Completed: 27 August 1939, just a week before Britain declared war on Germany.
• Highlights:
  • Experience life in the bunker during Britain's darkest hour as the German Wehrmacht swept across Europe.
  • Visit the Cabinet Room, the nerve center where the War Cabinet met.
  • Look for scratch marks on Churchill's chair, caused by his nervous clutching and wear from his signet ring.

The Map Room

• Step Back in Time: Preserved as it was on the day the lights were switched off in 1945.
• Features:
  • Maps with hundreds of pin holes marking fleet progress across the ocean.
  • The top-secret Transatlantic Telephone Room used by Churchill to communicate with the U.S. President.

The Churchill Museum

• Discover Churchill’s Story:

  • Personal items and artifacts, including paintings, cigars, and the door of No. 10 Downing Street.
  • Explore Churchill's life, from his childhood to his military career and terms as Prime Minister.

• Churchill and the Middle East:

  • An intimate display on his impact and influence on the modern Middle East.
  • Features photography, correspondence, an annotated map from 1921, and audio-visual presentations.

Opening Times

• Daily: 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
• Last Entry: 5:00 pm
• Closed: 24, 25, and 26 December

The Churchill War Rooms, housing the underground nerve center where the British government directed the Second World War and the award-winning Churchill Museum, is one of London’s must-see attractions.