Churchill War Rooms

What makes it special

The rooms were never cleared out. When the war in Europe ended in May 1945, the lights were switched off and everything was left in place, so the furniture, maps and equipment you see are the originals.

The Map Room is the heart of the bunker, where the war was tracked as it happened. Look closely at the wall maps: the pins and markings sit where they were on the last day of the war.

Along the corridor, a door made to look like a lavatory is a decoy. Behind it is the soundproofed Transatlantic Telephone Room, where Churchill could hold private calls with America on the progress of the war.

There is no grand hall and no view here. The bunker is a warren of narrow passages and working rooms, built for an underground community of about 500 staff.

The Churchill Museum, inside the same complex, covers his 90-year life. Its centrepiece is an interactive timeline table that runs the length of the room, with his life laid out year by year.

Visiting

You book your ticket online, and booking ahead is the safe course, particularly in summer. Weekends, school holidays and summer days sell out first.

The audio guide that comes with your ticket leads you through the bunker room by room. The Churchill Museum is part of the same visit, and it turns from the war to Churchill the man rather than the myth.

The passages are narrow and the rooms are small, so expect to move slowly through the bunker. Save your longest stop for the museum, where the story widens out to his whole life.

Guided or on your own

Imperial War Museums' own guides lead an early-bird tour of the War Rooms' highlights at select times; check what is running when you book.

It suits you if you want the stories behind the rooms told in person by a guide. If you would rather set your own pace, the self-guided route works well without it.

Tips

Bring a light layer: the bunker stays cool all year, even in summer. Photography is allowed in most rooms, but turn your flash off.

Leave suitcases at your hotel. They are not allowed in and there is no cloakroom, so if you are travelling with one, use the luggage storage at Charing Cross station. Benches are few below ground, so rest before you go in.