Your saves are on this device only.
Your browser may clear them at any time. You won't be able to see them on other devices. Create a free account or sign in to keep them safe in the cloud.
A political history of Britain in the places where it happened: parliament and palace, courts and counting houses, and the streets where people pushed back.
The basement a world war was run from, left as its staff walked out of it.
Government & Parliament
Also in Museums and Secrets & Espionage.
It opened under the Treasury in 1939 so that ministers and the chiefs of staff could keep working through air raids, and it was never the deep purpose-built bunker of the legend: reinforced offices in an ordinary government basement, and everyone inside knew a direct hit would come through. What makes it worth the journey is watching the mundane become the machinery of a war. The Map Room was staffed around the clock, tracking operations everywhere in the world; typists, telephonists, messengers and officers slept down here because going home was dangerous. The rooms were sealed in 1945 and the maps are still pinned as they were left.
Step-free access
| Monday | 09:30 – 18:00 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 09:30 – 18:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:30 – 18:00 |
| Thursday | 09:30 – 18:00 |
| Friday | 09:30 – 18:00 |
| Saturday | 09:30 – 18:00 |
| Sunday | 09:30 – 18:00 |
Hours from the page that lists them, checked 3 September 2026.
Submit a correction for this listing.
Data is compiled from public sources including OpenStreetMap, under the ODbL. Hours change often, so check before making a journey.