HMS Belfast
A visit to the HMS Belfast will open your eyes to the difficult conditions faced by the brave men who served on her decks during the war
One of the London's magnificent attractions today is the HMS Belfast. This beautiful majestic ship played such an important role in protecting and winning the war at sea during WW2. It also served in the Korean war during the 1950s. After covering over 500,000 nautical miles it retired to its current location on the River Thames in 1971 where it is now one of the Imperial War Museums.
The HMS was completed May 1936 and after just two months at sea she endured substantial injuries when accidentally striking a magnetic mine. The damage to the ship's lower bowel was so severe that discussions were made as to whether or not the ship should be fixed or demolished. After the decision was made to repair her it took three years to complete. During those three years there were major advancements in technology. Radar with an electronic eye was at that time implemented giving the HMS Belfast an edge that proved to be an extremely useful addition. This provided state of the art technology and it proved to be an advantageous tool for the crew on the ship during the war.
Imagine the feeling of being in very close encounters as the crew of nearly 1000 men had to eat, work and sleep in the same space. The beds consisted of hammocks made from canvas and one of the first skills everyone working on board had to learn was how to mount them without them folding up on them. They were tightly spaced about one foot apart from each other making for extremely close sleeping quarters.
When viewing this grand old war ship you will have a great time exploring the nine decks, climbing up and down ladders adventuring through the core of the inner battle ship. Book a private tour or enjoy an audio tour guide available in four languages that is free for anyone visiting. The languages are English, French, German, and Spanish. Hear many interesting stories of historical events and unbearable conditions that the crew had to endure. For those who chose there is also a family audio guide.
Test your skills at piloting the ship in the interactive operations room, stroll by rooms such as the bakery, the dentist's office the utilities room plus the medical room. Experience the sobering and chilling sensation of war in a simulation of battle of north Cape in the gun turret.
Overall expect to take a minimum of one and a half hours to explore the ship and exhibits, however you may want to allow considerably more time as there are so many other things to see and do including the HMS Belfast gift shop, the cafe downstairs or the rooftop bar and cafe where you can enjoy a meal while taking in the beautiful views.
There are many other impressive landmarks in the area, with the Tower Bridge, Tower of London, and The Shard being particularly close, making them good candidates for visiting on the same day.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Yes. Visit official website for details.HMS Belfast Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Address: The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2JH, UK
Phone: 020 7940 6300
Official Website: HMS Belfast
HMS Belfast Reviews
Rated out of 5
I always love paying a visit to historical military ships and this one does not disappoint! With the HMS Belfast being a cruiser, this ship isn’t as daunting as a larger battleship, and you can explore this one comfortably in about 2 - 4 hours depending on your speed and if you feel the need to stop and read / listen to each section (audio guides come free with admission). There are directional arrows to guide guests along the right path so you don’t get lost. Be ready for lots of tight spaces, especially when going up or down the stairs that are really more like ladders. There is also a cafe on the ship with bathrooms so they have done a good job to provide amenities to visitors. The gift shop was fun but I wish it had more to offer.
Cody P - a month ago
Our oldest loves historic battle ships. He was super excited and we took the self paced tour with the handheld audio guide. It wasn't busy when we visited. A great experience. Quite fascinating. Lots of history on this ship while going through the various areas of the ship. Very insightful tour about the ship and the daily life of those who've served on it. Get a deeper appreciation of all those who've served and are actively serving.. quite fitting with Memorial Day just a few days away. From the ship you'll get a nice view of the Thames area and London bridge. Btw, our first visit to London long ago, we didn't realize the ship was there.
Nhan Tran - 4 weeks ago
Best experience for those who love military crafts, tells a quite good story about British manufacturing and military abilities in the previous century.
Note: HMS Belfast team should tell people that moving around the ship is not easy, you need both hands to climb steep stairs, and sometimes even a pack back could cause you some difficulty in movement.
Yaman Kalaji - 4 weeks ago
A very nice place to visit for history fans, or if you just want an out of world experience in a light cruiser designed for the 1930s. You get to climb many parts of the ship, so it is also a nice place for morning exercises :p
Sky Sky (Sky) - a week ago
Great few hours for children (and grandparents!)
Walk at your own pace and spend more time in areas of interest.
We took the free audio guides but didn't really use them, so they were just a heavy extra to carry around.
John Dwyer - in the last week
Directions
| Tube Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Northern and Jubilee Line | London Bridge | 5 minutes |
| District and Circle Line | Tower Hill | 16 minutes |
How to get to HMS Belfast by Tube
From London Bridge Station exit onto Tooley Street and go right (east) to Battlebridge Lane, left (north) to the Thames Path, then right to the entrance of the HMS Belfast.
From Tower Hill Station on the north bank exit to the south and follow Tower Hill Terrace east to the Tower Bridge approach. Cross the Bridge to the south towers, take the stairs down to the Thames Path and follow it west to the entrance.
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Accommodations near HMS Belfast:
Photo Gallery
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View from the Captains Chair of the HMS Belfast cc licensed photo by Les Chatfield -
Steep stairs leading to the lower deck cc licensed photo by Sven -
HMS Belfast Torpedo cc licensed photo by Andrew Gray -
The ship's resident cat relaxing in its own hammock cc licensed photo by Aurélie -
Photo Credit: Brian Brandsberg Berg - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Loz Flowers - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Loz Flowers - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: www.mgaylard.co.uk and thanks for looking - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: David Blaikie - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: David Blaikie - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: D-Stanley - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Tim Sheerman-Chase - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: usf1fan2 - cc license via Flickr
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