Churchill War Rooms

Published 18 September 2026 · By the Guide to London editorial team · Editor: Terje Moy

The Churchill War Rooms are the underground offices beneath Westminster where Winston Churchill and his government directed Britain's war effort in the Second World War, kept much as they were left in 1945, together with a museum about Churchill's life. An adult ticket costs £34 (September 2026), and you should allow at least two hours.

In the late 1930s the British government expected heavy bombing of London in any new war. It turned the basement of a large government building near Parliament into a protected headquarters, known then as the Cabinet War Rooms. Ministers, military planners, typists and telephone operators worked here day and night, and when the war ended in 1945 they switched off the lights and left much of it as it was.

Today the site is run by Imperial War Museums (IWM). You walk along narrow corridors past the Cabinet Room, the Map Room, Churchill's bedroom and the rooms where staff lived and worked, and halfway round you enter a separate, modern museum about Churchill. It is one of the most atmospheric historic sites in London, and also one of the most crowded, so a little planning makes a big difference.

Why a bunker was built under Whitehall

According to IWM, military planners after the First World War feared up to 200,000 casualties from bombing in the first week of a new war. Plans to move the government out of London were drawn up as early as the 1920s, but there were worries that Londoners would feel abandoned. So the search turned to an emergency shelter in the centre of the city.

In June 1938 the basement of the New Public Offices building, close to Parliament, was chosen because the building had a strong steel frame. The rooms became fully operational on 27 August 1939, a week before Britain declared war on Germany. Churchill became Prime Minister on 10 May 1940, and his War Cabinet met here 115 times, most often during the Blitz and the later V-weapon attacks.

The protection was less complete than it looks. A reinforced concrete slab up to three metres thick was added above the rooms in December 1940, yet IWM says a bomb larger than 500 pounds could still have broken through. Secrecy was the real defence. The rooms were used around the clock until 16 August 1945, when the lights in the Map Room were turned off for the first time in six years. IWM opened them to the public in 1984, and the Churchill Museum was added in 2005.

Walking through the historic Cabinet War Rooms

The first part of the visit follows a set route through the original rooms. Many are seen through glass from the corridor, which keeps them unchanged but means you stand in a line with other visitors. The audio guide, included in the ticket, explains what you are looking at and tells the stories of the people who worked here.

The Cabinet Room

This is where Churchill met his ministers and the heads of the armed forces. The tables form a square with a gap in the middle, where the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force sat facing the Prime Minister in his rounded wooden chair. IWM describes it as a room built for confrontation, and Churchill was known to push his commanders hard.

The Map Room

The Map Room was the military information centre of the complex, staffed day and night. Officers gathered the latest military information here for King George VI, the Prime Minister and the armed forces. It is the most striking room on the route, with its original wall maps and bank of telephones. Nearby, the Map Room Annexe shows a huge map of Russia that charts the German advance of 1941-42 and the retreat that followed.

Churchill's bedroom and the staff quarters

Churchill had a small bedroom here, and he made four radio broadcasts from it. According to IWM, the engineer was told to cut the line if anyone else strayed from the approved script, but Churchill was allowed to improvise. Many ordinary staff also slept underground. The women who worked as typists and switchboard operators often stayed below ground during the Blitz, sleeping in a cramped sub-basement known as "the dock". Because they rarely saw daylight, they were given sessions under sun lamps, and IWM records cases of sunburn from them.

Look out for the small details that make the place feel lived-in: a weather board in the corridor that staff changed to "windy" during raids as a joke, a telephone with a warning about secrecy, a cartoon of Hitler drawn on a map in the Chiefs of Staff Conference Room, and three sugar cubes that an officer hid in his desk drawer during rationing. They were found only in the early 1980s.

The Churchill Museum inside the bunker

About halfway round, the route opens into the Churchill Museum, a large modern gallery about his whole 90-year life. It looks at his leadership and legacy through personal belongings, documents, films and interactive displays, and it covers far more than the war years, including a section on Churchill and the Middle East.

Many visitors underestimate this part and run out of time. If you are interested in Churchill as a person rather than only in the war, give it at least 45 minutes. There is bench seating here, which is welcome after the corridors, and the videos have English subtitles.

Tickets, prices and booking

Unlike IWM London in Lambeth, which is free, the Churchill War Rooms charge for entry. IWM publishes these prices for 2 September 2026 to 31 March 2027:

A family of two adults and two children aged 5-15 pays £102. A couple pays £68. IWM membership gives free entry to its paid sites, which also include HMS Belfast and IWM Duxford, so it can pay off if you plan to visit more than one. Check current prices and book on the official tickets page.

Tickets are sold for a date and entry time, and IWM says day and time slots do sell out. In summer, at weekends and in school holidays we would book at least a few days ahead. If you are thinking of buying a sightseeing pass, check whether it covers the War Rooms before you rely on it; our analysis of whether the London Pass saves money shows how to compare.

The early-bird guided tour

IWM runs a daily guided tour, "The Secrets of Churchill War Rooms", that starts before the site opens to the public. It lasts about an hour, and you can explore on your own afterwards. In September 2026 it cost £54 for an adult (£20 for IWM members), and pre-booking was essential. It is intended for visitors over 16; younger children can join but need an adult ticket, and IWM says it is not suitable for under-5s. The big advantage is seeing the famous rooms before the corridors fill up.

When to go and how long to stay

The site is open 9.30am to 6pm every day except 24 to 26 December, with last entry at 5pm. IWM recommends at least two hours to see both the historic rooms and the Churchill Museum. Three hours is comfortable if you listen to most of the audio guide.

IWM itself says the quietest time is in the afternoon after 3pm, although large groups can arrive at any time of day. Weekends and the peak tourist season are the busiest. The underground rooms have ventilation, but they can feel warm when crowded: in summer IWM suggests coming after 3pm, and in winter around midday, when more people make it warmer.

Bags, access and practical details

This is the most important practical point for many travellers: there is no cloakroom, no lockers and no space for pushchairs to be parked. IWM will not admit visitors with suitcases, wheeled luggage or large holdalls and rucksacks. It suggests Charing Cross station as the nearest suitcase storage; our guide to left luggage in London lists other options. Bags may be searched at the entrance.

All access, including the step-free entrance, is from Horse Guards Road beside St James's Park. There are 15 steps down to the basement and a lift for visitors who need it. Inside, the route is wheelchair accessible, but the tightest corner is a 90-degree turn and some corridors are narrow, so IWM offers free manual wheelchairs that can be reserved in advance. Lighting is low in places. Toilets, including accessible toilets and baby changing, are all at the start of the route, so use them before you set off.

The audio guide is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Hebrew, Russian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Swedish and Ukrainian, with a British Sign Language option and an audio-described version. You do not need to bring headphones. The café, open 10am to 5pm, is in the room once used by the wartime switchboard operators. Photography for personal use is allowed without flash or tripods.

Visiting with children

IWM says the site is appropriate for all ages but recommends visiting with children aged 10 and over for the best experience. There is a family version of the audio guide, recommended for ages 7 and over and available in English only. Volunteers give short ten-minute talks on subjects such as the Battle of Britain, Alan Turing and rationing, and children may get to handle real objects.

Younger children often find the long, dim corridors and the queues tiring. Half-price tickets for 5-15s help, but with small children we would keep the visit short and plan time in St James's Park immediately afterwards. More ideas for family days are in our guide to London with kids.

Getting there and combining it with Westminster

St James's Park and Westminster stations are both a short walk away. Charing Cross and Victoria are the nearest mainline stations, and bus routes 3, 11, 12, 24, 87, 88, 159 and 453 run nearby. Our Underground guide for visitors covers fares and ticket options.

The War Rooms sit in the middle of government London, so they combine easily with other sights in Westminster. Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament are a short walk away, and Horse Guards Parade is just north along Horse Guards Road. If you want to see soldiers in ceremonial uniform, check the Changing of the Guard schedule and do the War Rooms in the afternoon. Trafalgar Square, with the National Gallery on its north side, is at the far end of Whitehall.

For the wider story of both world wars, IWM London in Lambeth is free to enter and a short bus or Tube ride away. Visitors with a strong interest in the Second World War can also look at Dover Castle, where the entry ticket includes the Secret Wartime Tunnels.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to visit the Churchill War Rooms?

An adult ticket costs £34 for visits between 2 September 2026 and 31 March 2027. Children aged 5-15 pay £17, seniors, students and disabled visitors pay £30.60, and under-5s go free. Check the IWM website for current prices before you book.

Do I need to book Churchill War Rooms tickets in advance?

It is strongly recommended. Tickets are sold for a specific date and entry time, and IWM says slots do sell out, especially at weekends, in summer and in school holidays.

How long does a visit to the Churchill War Rooms take?

IWM recommends allowing at least two hours so that you have time for both the historic Cabinet War Rooms and the Churchill Museum. Last entry is at 5pm and the site closes at 6pm.

Can I bring luggage to the Churchill War Rooms?

No. There is no cloakroom and no lockers, and visitors with suitcases, wheeled luggage or large rucksacks are not admitted. IWM names Charing Cross station as the nearest place to store a suitcase.

Are the Churchill War Rooms suitable for children?

IWM says the site suits all ages but recommends it most for children aged 10 and over. A family audio guide for ages 7 and over is included in the ticket, and children aged 5-15 pay half price.

Sources

• Imperial War Museums - Churchill War Rooms tickets (checked September 2026)
• Imperial War Museums - What's here at Churchill War Rooms (checked September 2026)
• Imperial War Museums - Accessibility at Churchill War Rooms (checked September 2026)
• Imperial War Museums - Getting to Churchill War Rooms (checked September 2026)
• Imperial War Museums - A short history of the Cabinet War Rooms (checked September 2026)
• Imperial War Museums - 9 secrets from Churchill War Rooms (checked September 2026)
• Imperial War Museums - Guided tour: The Secrets of Churchill War Rooms (checked September 2026)