How To Visit the Churchill War Rooms in 2024: Tickets, Hours, and Facts

This top-secret war-time bunker in London was once only accessible to those with the highest security clearance. Now, you too can visit the Churchill War Rooms—the actual site where Winston Churchill operated in WWII. In this guide, we share everything you need to know about how to visit the Churchill War Rooms including how to get tickets, the best tours, what to see, and more.

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Visiting the Churchill War Rooms: What We’ll Cover

The Churchill War Rooms is where Britain’s greatest Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, led the allied response against Hitler. If you’re interested in WWII, you’ll enjoy exploring the secret underground halls and corridors of the famous War Rooms. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to visit the Churchill War Rooms.

• Opening hours and tickets
• How much time to budget for your visit
• What to see in the Churchill War Rooms
• Guided tour options
• Facts and history of the Churchill War Rooms
• Where to eat nearby

Churchill War Rooms Opening Hours and Tickets

Opening Hours:

Open every day, 9:30 am – 6 pm. Last entry 5 pm.

Tickets:

• Adults (Ages 16-64), £27.25
• Children (Ages 5-15), £13.60
• Children under 5, free entry
• Concessions priced at £24.50 are available for those over 65, students, and the disabled. Free admission for one personal assistant accompanying a disabled person.

Pro Tip: Ease the ticket-buying tension by snagging skip-the-line tickets beforehand. It’s the smart move to dodge the crowds and enjoy your day hassle-free.

Address: Clive Steps, King Charles St.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out the best London tours to take and why.

How Long To Spend at the Churchill War Rooms

Short answer: 2.5 hours

It’s possible to go through the War Rooms and the museum in an hour and a half. But if you want to read every interactive display attentively and study each item closely, it will take around 3 hours and 30 minutes. So, 2 hours and 30 minutes will give you ample time to absorb a considerable amount of info and see all the exhibits at a comfortable pace.

For example, you may want to spend an hour and a half in the Cabinet War Rooms, where Winston Churchill directed the war effort. This is, obviously, a very important section of the bunker. The Churchill Museum will take around an hour. 

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What To See in the Churchill War Rooms

There’s plenty to see in the secret rooms and corridors of the WWII bunker. Don’t miss these top things to see when you visit the Churchill War Rooms.

1. The Cabinet Room
2. The Churchill Museum
3. The Map Room
4. The Transatlantic Telephone Room
5. Recordings of Churchill’s Famous Speeches 
6. Churchill’s Personal Letters
7. Churchill’s Bedroom
8. Maze of underground corridors

Churchill War Rooms Tour Options

Audio Guides

An audio guide to accompany you on your visit to the Churchill War Rooms is included in your admission ticket. Various languages are available, as well as a family guide or a descriptive guide for visitors with visual impairment.

Churchill War Rooms Private Tours

For anyone interested, the museum offers private “behind-the-glass” tours. An expert guide will give you an exclusive-access tour and deeper insight into this important moment in history. Private tours start at £500 for a group of no more than 10 people.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out the best London tours to take and why.

Facts and History of the Churchill War Room 

• The War Rooms were fully operational and ready to receive Churchill, the Cabinet, and British military chiefs on August 27, 1939.
• The rooms were used 115 times during the war, most often during the Blitz and V-weapon attacks.
• The rooms are protected by a concrete slab three meters thick.
• All the typists and switchboard operators were women. They sometimes worked overnight and slept in a basement called The Dock.
• To stave off health problems caused by the lack of sunlight underground, staff had to strip to their underwear and stand in front of a purpose-built sun lamp.
• The telephones in the War Rooms were inscribed with warnings about the need for secrecy, particularly when using phones.
• The War Rooms opened in 1984, and the Churchill Museum opened in 2005.
• After the Japanese surrender in 1945, the War Rooms were closed on August 16, 1945.
• Parliament decided to make it a historic site in 1948, and preservation work at the Imperial War Museum began in the 1970s.

Places To Eat Nearby

The War Rooms have their own café, but there are other eateries nearby, some of which have interesting political and royal connections. Here are a few suggestions. For more options, see our article on the best restaurants in London.

Churchill War Rooms Café: £ | Quick Snacks—Homemade sandwiches and sausage rolls, also soups and stews. A selection of hot and cold drinks.

Storey’s Gate Café: ££ | Coffee Shop—This building was originally the home of Edward Storey, who was King Charles II’s Keeper of the King’s Birds. Now it’s a perfectly located cafe selling snacks, sandwiches, paninis, and soups. The breakfast, lunches, juices, and beverages tend toward the healthy and green, so you’ll find the likes of sustainably sourced coffee here.

One Twenty One Two Restaurant: ££££ | Modern European—Situated in Whitehall in Westminster’s political heart. Exquisite fine dining, but fish and chips are also on the menu!