Booking fee
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* This tour requires at least one of the following per booking: Adult, Senior
Western Approaches offers a truly unique glimpse of a hidden, secret world which had an important place and role to play in war torn Liverpool.
Now, the bunker is a hidden gem and an important time capsule left as it would have been in 1945. Visiting the bunker not only explains the vital work achieved within it, it also brings to life stories of the people who served there and even lived there.
80% of the 300 staff who worked there at any one time were women aged between 17-22 and we recognise the hard work, sacrifice and expertise these women had and the roles they performed.
Walk through hidden rooms and discover the stories locked in the wartime bunker that protected the tactics and secrets of the British Armed Forces plotting to bulwark the Western Approaches and aid the Allied victory.
The bunker is a museum but we fully encourage visitors to sit at the desks, touch the typewriters and telephones used by the staff to discover a truly immersive experience.
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Each guest is given an identity card as their museum pass, identical to the original staff passes
Departure Point
Western Approaches HQ Museum - The Battle of the Atlantic Experience, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Western Approaches HQ Museum - The Battle of the Atlantic Experience, Liverpool, United Kingdom Western Approaches HQ is a secret WW2 bunker underneath Liverpool's City Centre, close to The Town Hall.
Walk through hidden rooms and discover the stories locked in the wartime bunker that protected the tactics and secrets of the British Armed Forces plotting to bulwark the Western Approaches and aid the Allied victory.
Glimpse the documents and tools the forces used to monitor enemy convoys and inform the British government of their findings whilst keeping their intelligence secret from the enemy, including one of only two surviving wartime phones which had a direct connection to the war cabinet in London.
See where commanders and WRNS and WAAF personnel worked every day and night in the Map Room, the nerve centre of the Battle of the Atlantic. Here they monitored convoy routes and vital shipping lines, and pin-pointed enemy locations on a huge map laid across the table; total accuracy was necessary to enable the Royal Navy to contact and destroy the enemy.
The Map Room which was the nerve centre of the bunker has remained exactly how as it was left when the doors were closed on 15 August 1945.
Experience a self guided tour of the museum where you can walk through the corridors, sit at desks, play with typewriters and teleprinter machines, look at the telephone exchange and try on uniforms.
There is also a room at the end of the tour where hot drinks are available at war time prices and there are traditional games to play and a film to watch about life in Liverpool during the war.
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Please note there are steps down into the bunker
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
David P
11 Nov 2024
The Western Approaches Museum in Liverpool is 100 feet below street level and was protected against the heavy bombing experienced in Liverpool and Merseyside during World War Two. The command centre was operated by Royal Navy and Royal AirForce staff plotting convoys across the North Atlantic to the United Kingdom. Lots of equipment, maps etc on view and the huge underground map of the North Atlantic ocean is impressive.
lorraineL8974QS
11 Nov 2024
Interesting perspective on WW2 and lots of great artefacts from the time.
Especially liked the WRNS exhibition showing the contribution of women in the Navy.
Collecting the stamps was a nice addition to the experience.
Inspire25143052216
31 Oct 2024
If you like war history this is really good. Loads of information and personal stories from the people working there during the war. We were there 2 hrs. So much to take in.
This tour in
England
is organized by
Western Approaches Museum
We always double-check the availability with our local partners for each booking. Even though this is usually a swift process, it can take up to 24 hours. Once this process is completed you will receive your voucher or ticket by email. If our local partner is not able to confirm your booking we will offer you the best possible alternative. If the new date and/or time doesn’t fit your itinerary, we will reimburse the full amount paid.
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