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Readers of my books will know that
The Intelligence
Zone is a name I have coined for an area in middle England where the major
breakthroughs took place which enabled Britain and her allies to win World War Two
- and which have also moulded the modern age.
It also tells of how
these were used in action; and the covert activities of the secret
services.
The scientific breakthroughs included the development of radar, computing,
atomics, modern communications and penicillin. This wealth of development makes the area, in my opinion, as important in man's development as was the
north of England (the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution).
That's quite apart from
the action!
My book gives some highlights of this amazing time
and place. The purpose of this site is to show places to visit in the
Intelligence Zone (and sometimes outside it) which have museums to visit
relating to that extraordinary time.
Not surprisingly, such a
formative time has given rise to many museums - which I list below (if
you think I have missed any, or made any mistakes, please let me
know). For example, for museums about radar, see section 3
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3 - Radar
The first effective radar was
developed for (and partly by) the Royal Air Force; and was the means by which
Hugh Dowding won the Battle of Britain
| Museum and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
RAF signals museum
Henlow (6miles north of Hitchin).
SG16 6DN |
This museum contains a radar display and a 'Y' signals
room. No cafe. |
*First Saturday of each month, except Jan. It is housed
within an operational RAF station so it's not just a matter of turning
up. You will need to tell them you are coming and be authorised - and
then get in (via the guardroom). See website for details. |
Free |
|
Imperial
War Museum
Duxford
(nr. Cambridge),
CB22 4QR |
Duxford houses a staggering
range of aircraft, RAF and otherwise, as well as ground weapons (tanks
and the like). This is a full day's visit. It houses a huge display of
RAF (and other) aircraft. It is breath taking in its size and variety.
Cafe(s) and shop. It has radar installations both
British and German radar installations. |
*10 - 6 daily |
£25** |
|
RAF Radar Museum
Neatishead
Norfolk.
NR12 8YB.
|
An ex RAF
radar station now a museum.
23 exhibition rooms, allow 2 to 3 hours. Cafe and shop. |
*Opens in summer, Tuesdays to Saturdays inclusive (and
bank holiday Mondays) 10 - 4 |
£12** |
|
Bawdsey radar
Suffolk
IP12 3BA |
The
place where the radar which was key to winning the Battle of Britain was
developed
I have yet to visit this museum. No cafe. |
*April to October, Thursdays and Sundays, 1100 til
1600. |
£8** |
4 RAF fighter command
the winner of the Battle of Britain;
one of the most important battles in history as it preserved the free world
| Museum and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
Bentley Priory
(HQ of
Fighter Command)
London
HA7
3HT |
Dowding's office. Displays about Fighter Command and the
Battle of Britain. Cafe and shop. |
*March to
Sep; wed, fri, sat 10-5
Oct -
Feb; wed, fri, sat, 10 -4
|
£8** |
|
Royal air force museum
London.
NW9 5LL |
Hangars with aircraft. Cafe and shop |
*Daily, 1000 to 1600 |
Free |
|
Imperial war museum
Duxford
(nr Cambridge)
CB22 4QR |
One of the world's foremost
aviation museums. Houses a staggering range of aircraft, RAF and
otherwise, as well as ground weapons (tanks and the like). This is a
full day's visit. Cafe(s) and shop |
*Daily, 10 - 6 |
£25** |
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5 Churchill
| Museum and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
Churchill's war rooms
London
SW1 2AQ |
The complex buried under Whitehall from which Churchill
directed the war. Map rooms, Churchill's bedroom, cabinet rooms |
*0930 - 1800 daily |
£26.25** |
6. Churchill's toyshop
Sadly, no museum exists that covers this
amazing weapons factory.
7 Bletchley Park - the capture of
signals and their decoding and distribution
Where the war was shortened and the
modern computer age began.
| Museum and where |
what's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
Bletchley Park
Milton
Keynes
MK3 6EB |
The means used to crack Axis codes and what was done
with the results. Unmissable. Cafe. shop |
*March - to Oct inclusive: 9.30
to 17.00
*Nov - Feb
inclusive (closed Xmas): 9.30 - 16.00 |
£24.50** |
8 - 'Y' services
|
The vast
array of communications equipment used by the Wireless Intercept 'Y'
services to monitor and record enemy messages.
Much of
this was fed into Bletchley Park for them to decode. |
| Museum
and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
RAF signals museum,
Henlow
SG16 6DN |
As well as an impressive collection of communications
and radar equipment, this also has a 'Y' room |
See section 3 |
Free |
|
Bletchley Park.
MK3 6EB |
The excellent signals section explains the inputs
feeding into BP |
See section 7 |
£24.50** |
9. The many voices of the Whaddon
Web
|
The multiple sites which was used by
MI6/SIS to communicate with spies and saboteurs on the ground, broadcast black
propaganda and send out instructions to commanders across the globe. No site deals with Whaddon Hall,
although it is covered to a degree in Bletchley Park |
10 - Penicillin
| Museum
and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)* |
|
History of
Science Museum
Oxford.
OX1 3AX |
This is where the work went on which turned penicillin
into a useful drug |
*Tuesdays - Sun, 1000 - 1700 |
Free, donations welcome |
|
Alexander Fleming Museum
St Mary's hospital,
Praed Street
London
(North of Hyde Park)
W2 1NYI |
Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum is a reconstruction of the discovery
of Penicillin in the actual laboratory where it happened. |
*Monday - Thursday, 1000 - 1300 |
£4** |
12 - SOE - the sabotage factories of
the Great North Road
|
The Special Operations Executive -
the people who trained saboteurs and made the equipment that they used (radios,
weapons, etc) and flew them to and from the continent.
Note
well. This is far from being a comprehensive list of sites relating
to SOE; it only covers those I know of in The Intelligence Zone |
|
Museum
and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
Harrington
Airfield
Northants
NN6 9PF |
This is the airfield where the American sister
organisation to the SOE - the OSS - dispatched flights to deliver
clandestine material to the continent. It has displays of OSS/SOE and SIS
agents' equipment and radios. This is a small museum but the enthusiasm
of its volunteers (of which there is a shortage) is infectious (they
even supplied me with a Wagon Wheel biscuit for free!). small cafe,
small shop. I love this place. Full of character and characters. |
Limited, summer. opening. |
£5** |
|
Military Intelligence
Shefford.
SG17 5PR |
also has SOE 'funnies' daggers, pistols, explosives
and the like. No cafe. Small shop. |
This is within a military base (RAF Chicksands) so it's
not just a matter of turning up. You will need to tell them you are
coming and be authorised - and then get in. See website for details. |
free |
|
National Army
Museum
Chelsea, London.
SW3 4HT |
Has a section on SOE. Cafe. Shop. |
Tue - Sun 1000 - 1700 |
free |
14 - the siege of Britain
How the Royal Navy, Coastal Command,
Bletchley Park and Whitchurch killed off the U-boats (with American and Canadian help)
| Museum and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
Western
Approaches
Liverpool,
L2 8SZ |
The operational headquarters for the Royal Navy (and
Coastal Command) in the second world war. This museum is within walking
distance of many Liverpool attractions, such as the 360 Liver Building Tour,
Royal Albert Dock, the Beatles' Story, the Mersey Tunnel Tour and the
Great British Music Experience, so is worth combining into a couple of
days in the vibrant, funny, friendly (mostly) city of Liverpool. Gift
shop, no cafe. |
Daily, 1000 - 1800 (but check website as sometimes
closed for various reasons). |
£13.50** |
15 - The Information Age is born
How Bletchley Park shortened the war
and developed the computer
| Museum
and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
www.tnmoc.org
National museum of Computing
Milton
Keynes
MK3 6EB |
This is at
Bletchley Park but is a separate museum from 'Bletchley Park', with its
own entrance and admittance costs.
The development of the computer with a rebuild of
Colossus, the first important digital computer. The enthusiasm of the
(volunteer) staff is infectious. |
*Tue, Thur, Sat and Sun 10.30 -1700 (1630 winter)
- but check website as this is liable to change). |
£10** |
|
Milton Keynes
museum |
This museum at Milton Keynes has a very good section on
telephones. It is, however, hardly a 'technical' museum like the others.
It is more of a museum of rural life. I include it as it is delightful;
and a wonderful place for children. |
*Summer: wed - sunday
Winter: wed, sat, sun |
£15 |
16 - Bomber Command
| Although the headquarters of Bomber
Command was at High Wycombe (in Buckinghamshire), Lincolnshire, of all the British
counties, was home to the largest number (49)
of RAF Bomber Command airfields. That earned it the nickname of Bomber County.
The Spire of Lincoln Cathedral, standing up high above the surrounding plains
was a landmark for thousands of bomber crews leaving for and returning from
(mainly) night operations over the continent. Note well. This is far from being
a comprehensive list of museums related to Bomber Command |
| Museum and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 2022 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
Bomber Command
Lincoln,
LN4 2RF |
The museum takes two to three hours
to visit. It tells the story of RAF Bomber Command in World War two and has a moving
outdoor garden where the names of the tens of thousand of RAF personnel who died
are permanently displayed. The garden has a view across to Lincoln Cathedral, as
well as a tall memorial to the aircrew who were lost. Cafe. Shop.
The museum does not have any
aircraft (for that you should visit RAF Duxford). It can well be
included in a visit to Lincoln, where the cathedral and castle, museum and steep
streets and pubs are well worth a visit. |
*Closed Monday. Rest of week 9.30 - 1700 (winter
9.30-1600). Last admittance an hour before closure. See website for
Christmas opening times |
£10** |
|
dehavilland
Hertfordshire
AL2 1BU |
museum dedicated to the aircraft of de Havilland. In
three hangers, including the superb Mosquito. Cafe and shop |
*Closed Monday (except bank holidays). rest of week
10.30-17.00 (last admission 16.00) |
£12** |
|
Imperial War Museum
Cambridge
CB22 4QR
|
The Imperial War Museum at Duxford, near Cambridge, has
lot on Bomber Command. |
*10 - 1800 daily |
£25** |
17 - Technowar
Defeating the Nazi missile attacks on
London
| Museum and where |
What's to see/ facilities |
*Opening hours - as at Sep 202 |
adult cost (as at Sep 2022)** |
|
dehavilland
Hertfordshire
AL2 1BU |
The Mosquito bomber and the many other aeroplanes
produced by the company. Three hangars full of aeroplanes. Cafe. Shop |
*Tue - Sun inclusive 1030-1700(last entry 1600). Also
open Bank Holiday Mondays |
£12** |
|
Imperial War Museum
Cambridge
CB22 4QR |
The Imperial War Museum at Duxford, near Cambridge, has
quite a bit on rocketry. |
*10 - 1800 daily |
£25** |
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| There are other fascinating sites/museums in France (Pas
de Calais) and Germany. I hope to add these in due course. |
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Contact email address:
info@theintelligencezone.co.uk