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Number 14 of 20 in London

The Churchill War Rooms: the bunker under Whitehall

A week before war was declared in 1939, a set of basement rooms under a government building in Westminster was made ready as an emergency headquarters. Churchill's War Cabinet met here 115 times, and for six years the lights were never turned off.

What it is
Underground
Time to allow
1.5 to 2 hours
Cost
Ticket
Best time
First thing, or late afternoon

London this week

    Why the Churchill War Rooms is worth it

    The rooms were in use from 27 August 1939 until the day after Japan surrendered in August 1945. Then the door was locked, and most of what was inside was left where it lay. They opened to the public in 1984 and are run by the Imperial War Museums.

    What you walk through is not a reconstruction. The clocks, the coloured telephones, the sugar ration a staff officer hid in his desk and the maps that covered every wall of the Map Room are the ones that were there.

    In the middle is a museum of Churchill's whole life, from his school reports to his funeral, opened in 2005.

    What to see

    1. The Cabinet War Room

      The table round which the War Cabinet and the chiefs of staff sat, with Churchill's wooden chair in the middle of one side. The arms of the chair are scored by his fingernails.

    2. The Map Room

      Staffed day and night for six years by officers of the three services. The books, the maps and the row of coloured telephones are as they were left on 16 August 1945.

    3. The Transatlantic Telephone Room

      A cupboard with a lavatory lock on the door, so that the staff would think it was the Prime Minister's private toilet. Inside was the secure line to the President in Washington.

    4. Churchill's bedroom

      He slept here only a handful of times, preferring his bed upstairs, but made four of his wartime broadcasts from the desk.

    5. The Churchill Museum

      A long interactive table sets out his life day by day. The door of 10 Downing Street from his time is here, with his cigars and his siren suit.

    How to do it well

    • Book a timed ticket ahead. The corridors are narrow, numbers are limited, and the queue outside without one can be long.
    • The audio guide is included and is very good. Allow an hour and a half with it.
    • It is all below ground and under cover: a good choice for a wet day.
    • Mornings at opening and the last two hours are the quietest.
    • The entrance is in King Charles Street, at the foot of the steps down to St James's Park.

    Where it is

    Address

    King Charles Street, between Whitehall and St James's Park

    Nearest station

    Westminster (Jubilee, District, Circle) or St James's Park (District, Circle)

    Museums and sights nearby

    Distances are in a straight line.

    Tickets and tours: Churchill War Rooms

    Churchill War Rooms: common questions

    How long do you need at the Churchill War Rooms?
    An hour and a half for the rooms with the audio guide, and two hours if you read your way through the Churchill Museum.
    Are the Churchill War Rooms the real thing?
    Yes. These are the rooms the War Cabinet and its staff used from 1939 to 1945, and most of the furniture, maps and equipment were left in place when they closed.
    Do you need to book the Churchill War Rooms in advance?
    It is strongly advised. Entry is by timed ticket and the day's places often sell out, above all in summer and at weekends.
    How much time do you need for the Churchill War Rooms?
    Allow 1.5 to 2 hours. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.

    What visitors say about the Churchill War Rooms

    Rating from Google

    4.6

    16,029 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 8 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

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