London Places: Churchill War Rooms

I'm a big history geek. Especially British history. Especially World War II. Seriously, Winston Churchill is fascinating.

So when I got to spend my birthday in London last year, I decided to go to the Churchill War Rooms with my friend Alysen.

I know, I know; clearly, I know how to have a good time.

If you like museums & history, you've got to visit this place. The Churchill War Rooms were basically a secret underground bunker during WWII. There are whole areas down there that were left exactly as they were when the war ended in 1945, ash trays & everything.

You can see the Map Room, the original front door of No. 10 Downing Street, & the room Clementine Churchill stayed in when she visited.

There's also a new Churchill Museum that walks you through his life. Alysen & I spent an inordinate amount of time wandering around down there listening to old speeches & typing on the typewriters.

And don't miss the gift shop (my favourite part of most museums.) Besides the usual books, postcards & memorabilia, this one has reproductions of a bunch of old WWII posters.

If you want a little taste of what London was like during the Blitz, you've got to check out the Churchill War Rooms.

Churchill War Rooms images via Visit London, The Sun, IWM, The Telegraph, here, & the Imperial War Museum