The UK is home to the ultimate museum, the Imperial War Museum, and to many historical sites and buildings that played a role in WW2. These are my short reviews of the museums and places I visited in Britain.
Cabinet War Rooms London – This museum at White Hall is where Churchill’s war cabinet had a safe shelter. You will enter a genuine time capsule. Recommended for Battle of Britain and Churchill buffs, or if you are into bunker tours. Although the word bunker doesn’t do this underground compound justice. |
Duxford Cambridge – This WW2 aerodrome near Cambridge is the best WW2 aviation museum in Europe. It has many painstakingly restored aircraft and a special USAAF hall. The building is impressive in it’s own right. There’s a land warfare museum with many vehicles and a newly added Airborne museum, focussing on British paratroops. Historic airshows are held here too, of which I have very fond memories (stuff I bought, but also the spectacular simulated dog fight between a Hurricane and a Focke-Wulf). |
Imperial War Museum London – This is the museum of all museums. In the world. Full stop. It is huge and it houses many rare and unique items, and all displayed up to modern museum standards. Each time I’m in London, I try to visit it, if only to view a part of the museum, or just to sniff the atmosphere. The Cabinet War Rooms and Duxford are dependencies of this museum, and you can tell. They are all up to the highest standard. The IWM has a very nice shop too (though no original militaria, only gifts and books). Visit the IWM shop web site. |
Kent Battle of Britain Museum Hawkinge, near Folkestone, Kent – This can be your last stop on the way back to the Eurotunnel, as I did. It’s a neat museum with quite a few good aircraft on display and a lot of showcases with uniforms and weapons. Too bad they are pretty fanatic about not allowing you to take any pictures inside, so hereby my photo from the outside 😉 |
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