Permanent

Churchill War Rooms

Self guided tour with free multimedia guide

What are the Cabinet War Rooms?

During the Second World War the British government set up a secret, underground headquarters in the basement of a purpose-built government building - known today as Churchill War Rooms.  

As you explore the labyrinth of corridors and historic rooms you will be walking in the footsteps of Winston Churchill and the many men and women who worked, ate, and even slept here during the tense days and nights of the war. 

Tour these rooms left as they were on the day the lights were switched off in 1945, and find yourself completely immersed in the past of this crucial site in world history.

Highlights

  • The Cabinet Room at Churchill War Rooms

    War Cabinet Room

    ‘This is the room from which I will direct the war’ – Winston Churchill. Stand inches away from where the war cabinet met.

  • Transatlantic Telephone Room

    Transatlantic Communication

    Disguised as a private toilet, discover the room where Churchill spoke in secret to the U.S President using cutting-edge technology.

  • A functional kitchen from the 1940s displaying a stove, oven, and a black cabinet

    Churchill Suite

    Take a look into the kitchen and bedrooms reserved for Churchill’s family and his personal staff, including Churchill’s cook, military advisor, and bodyguard. 

  • Switchboard operators working in the Cabinet War Rooms during the Second World War.
    © IWM 27532

    Switchboard Room

    Explore the BBC Broadcasting Room and Switchboard Room which connected the Cabinet War Rooms to the outside world.

  • A simple room with a wooden desk, chair and single bed

    Back to 1940

    Step back in time and peek inside the bedrooms of some of Churchill's top advisors, restored to exactly how they were.

  • View of the Map Room at Churchill War Rooms
    IWM SITE CWR 567

    Map Room

    See the beating heart of the War Rooms where some of the most strategic decisions of the war were planned.

More at Churchill War Rooms

An exhibit showcasing personal items and letters describing  what life would have been like living and working in the Cabinent War Rooms.
IWM
Permanent Gallery
Churchill War Rooms

Undercover: Life in Churchill's Bunker

Permanent
Three visitors interact with an visual timeline in the Churchill Museum
IWM
Permanent Gallery
Churchill War Rooms

Churchill Museum

Permanent
Winston Churchill in front of a map and a clock from the Cabinet War Rooms
© IWM
Churchill War Rooms

Churchill 2024 Events

This year, join IWM in marking the 150th anniversary since Churchill’s birth with a series of special events.