tourist at home: the Cabinet War Rooms

with a rainy bank-holiday Monday came the perfect opportunity to take things underground and visit the Cabinet War Rooms in Westminster. Recently renovated, this museum is comprised of the actual rooms used by a cadre of British political and military authorities, as well as a support staff, during WWII. Designed as a bunker with a heavy concrete protection to prevent damage from the heavy German bombs, the entire complex was very extensive, and housed up to 500 people. The CWM are just a small part of this, but a major one in terms of historical significance. Indeed right at the start of the visit there is the actual cabinet room, where Churchill and his cabinet met to discuss war matters. One of the great things about the museum is how well preserved things have been kept, as though nothing has been touched since 1945. The living quarters, in particular, present an interesting personal side to the place. Seeing Mrs Churchill's bedroom or the tight quarters shared by the staff secretaries remind us that personal comfort was not really an option in these times of war. I also hope Mr Churchill's detectives (his security guards) didn't dislike each other, because that was one small room they shared. Besides the cabinet room, the map room is a tremendous showpiece, giving visitors insight into how these rooms were at the center of the war effort.
To accompany visitors there are free audioguides which explain what the purpose of the different rooms were (like the BBC communications center or the transatlantic telephone room). These are mostly well made, even if the reenacted scenes featuring actors can get a little overplayed. The guy "playing" Harry Truman was particularly overdoing it, to our great amusement.
During our dwell I remembered my dad once mentioning that my great-grandfather, who was living in London at the time, had a run-in with a V2 during one of the bombings, though it was thankfully inconsequential. The CWR is another reminder of how many sacrifices were made by our elders during those times. This abnegation is especially amazing if you consider the type of lives many of us are leading now. Not to say I embrace a fully idealist and sepia-tinted view of this chapter of history, but I think these museums are a good way to ensure future generations acquire some measure of knowledge about it.

Adjacent to these rooms is the Churchill Museum, which covers his entire life. Admission is included in the general ticket price (£11 full price, £9 for students), but lacking time we did not get to visit it. Overall I found this visit quite fascinating, as someone who's always had a thing for this part of history and would definitely recommend it, even on a day when it isn't raining cats and dogs.