HMS Belfast

Stunning tour of a warship steeped in history. From WWII to the Cold War Belfast stood the watch. In razze dazzle paint scheme she is remarkable well preserved. Audio tour guide included. 5 decks of tour available. You MUST be able to navigate real warship ladders or this could be a bit dangerous. Lovely gift shop with reasonably priced items available.

HMS Belfast is a 1930s British cruiser which saw much action through WWII and then the Korean War and after, before being decommissioned in 1963. It is the only British cruiser, and largest British warship of any type, from that era to be preserved. One can read all about the history at the Imperial War Museum website and elsewhere online.

It is very interesting and one can explore throughout the ship, including the engine rooms, bridge, main turrets, and more. There is a gift shop and there's a cafe on board. One has an option of doing an audio tour.

Allow about 2 hours for a really thorough exploration, but one probably need not much more than that and 1 1/2 hours could be sufficient for a good experience. Even 1 hour could suffice for those who just want a quick look through.

Anyone interested in warships or WWII history should visit it.

It is part of the Imperial War Museum and is docked on the south bank of the Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. The London Bridge station is the closest tube station but it's only a short walk from Tower Bridge.

The HMS Belfast is a great site to visit, but in reality, it resembles many other warship museums around the world.

This does not take away from the history behind it though! The HMS Belfast usually comes with most tourist city passes, so it's an easy one to tack onto your journey around London. Being it's a warship, it is large, but not massive enough to hold several hundred at a time during COVID times. It can get pretty busy during peak tourist seasons and may definitely feel cramped, so a no go for claustrophobic folks. Price wise, it's on par with many of the other sites in the city, which can be pricey, but if you enjoy war times history, it's well worth it. I'd suggest getting a ticket ahead of time to help move through the line in a quicker manner though!

Amazing historical ship experience , interactive rooms, and decorated true to the times. You can walk freely amongst the ship, watch your footing and overhead pipes.the boiler room and engine rooms were super cool

I basically made a day of things to do on the South Bank, it is definitely a part of the city that you need a day to discover it all. HMS Belfast was one of my discovery points among the many others.

Battleships have always fascinated me. Being able to explore one is a rather cool experience. I really enjoyed this one because not only are you allowed to go about your own way, but you get to see every nook and cranny of the ship. I had attempted to stay with the guided tour but soon discovered that just because it is in numerical order does not mean you have to follow. Because of this I was able to look at things much longer than I expected.

Some of the highlights of this place are: the gun turrets, stick around in this room a bit, there is a bit of a simulation of what it would have been like while the guns were fired, floors vibrate and the such. The telegraph room, you can attempt to spell out your name using Morse code. The engine/boiler room, I felt like this was an adult jungle gym. Twists and turns, up and down ladders, ducking, squatting, it's a great workout. Also take advantage of the men that seem to pop up out of nowhere. They are a great wealth of knowledge for the ship. Any question you threw at them they answered with ease and it gave you insight of how the men worked and lived on the ship.

One thing to note, if you are not nimble exploration of this ship might be a feat for you. The ladders/stairs are steep and there are a lot of tight spaces from one place to the next. Another thing to note, you might go picture crazy in here. It is one of the few places in London I was able to freely take pictures and I went crazy. If it caught my eye, I snapped a shot.

*London Pass saved the day again.

The HMS Belfast is a fantastic historical navy ship docked along the Thames and now open as a museum for exploration. Come prepared to duck through enclosed spaces, climb tiny staircases, and really get the feel for life on the warship as you ascend to the highest lookout tower and then descend into the bowels of the ship. You can easily spend 1-2 hours here exploring everything. There are cool interactive exhibits for getting to know the ship's history better--though the coolest part is simply the adventure itself. If you come on a clear day, the view from the top is also a fantastic photo op for seeing lots of the City and the waterfront architecture around central London.

Overall a fun adventure for anyone who's into war history--or just exploring old things!

We stopped here using our London Pass. We had no wait with tickets or entering. There is a free self audio but the route through the ship could be a little confusing. You must be 4' or taller for the tour. You will be climbing and descending in very confined and steep areas. This is not for anyone with walking issues. We all compares it to going through a ropes course so being in shape can help. My DH and DBIL both loved the experience. It's well worth the visit if you have the pass.

If you are a history nerd like me, then London is the place for you. I do appreciate it the chance to look into the history of Britain's Military while on vacation and the HMS Belfast thrives in producing this. See below

High Level notes...
1. As with all attractions in London, if you have a backpack, please be prepared to be searched. Security staff was very professional and it was appreciated.
2. If bad weather is expected, please bring an umbrella and patience as if there is a line to get in, you will be exposed.
3. Very easy to use the London Pass here, ticket staff was very attentive and efficient
4. The team at HMS Belfast does their best to provide access to the ship, please note this is a World War 2 Military ship and that some passages and Stairs are cramped, if you have any leg or joint issues, this can be challenging but is possible.
5. There is are audio devices available
6. Depending on your level of couriousily, plan on 2 to 4 hours (for me I could have been there all day)

Tickets - We used the London Pass to get in here and many other locations, I would suggest giving them a try. The que (line) to get in is a little cramped as the small space is shared with a cafe and gift shop. I was surprised as there is a restaurant above the welcome center they added an additional cafe there, again just my opinion since the ship also has a large cafe on board.

Boarding - Once your in, this is simple, walk the gangplank to the ship, once on the ship, the audio devices will be there as well as other information on how to tour the ship.

Touring - Again, I believe the staff did a great job laying out a route to see everything, however things can be slightly confusing so please be patient if someone goes the wrong way!!!!

Experience - The experience of touring the ship is amazing. You have interactive opportunities to see what its like to fire the big 16in guns, sit where the officers did, see how the crew lived and see all the enhancements the ship received overtime.

Respect - Please remember, this was a active Military vessel, please be mindful of this and remember you are a guest regardless of your views in life. The one great off change I had was to speak to a former member of the crew on board and see his grandson eyes light up when hearing about life on the ship.

Access - For the most part, the HMS Belfast was very open about its missions and life aboard. Guests get a great insight of the ship and I would say not a lot of places are roped off.

Conclusion - Thou not what you think when visiting London, I was happy to visit this museum and learn more about Her Majesty's Navy. If you out by the Tower bridge area, this would be a great place to visit in conjunction with the Tower and the bridge. There are a bunch of great places to eat in and around this area so you can see a lot and make a great day of it

The HMS Belfast is a British navy warship dating back to 1938; she was hugely important in World War II, including D-Day, and now is a permanent musuem on the River Thames in London.

This was definitely one of my favorite tourist stops in England. I'm not the history buff my husband is, but you can't not be intrigued here. They have exhibits dedicated to specific battles and events. See what it would have been like to live onboard, from the hammock-filled messdeck to a genuinely scary sick bay to the rum rations. And look at the inner workers of the ship, including the shell room, magazine and handling room, engines, radios, and operation rooms. There's a lot of tidbits scattered around the ship, with signs, wax figures and an audio tour-- this is one place where you should definitely take them up on the headset, as it's very informative and you'd miss a lot without it.

Tickets are expensive at £14, but that's really not more than any of the other major London attractions. Plan on 90 minutes to explore the ship in its entirety, and wear comfortable shoes that are good for climbing ladders. We went on a weekday afternoon in May and most of the time it seemed like we were the only people there, so it's a nice break from the crowds.

This is one of the most unique, immersive museums you could visit. Definitely worth a visit while you're in London.

Very cool battleship. I was impressed with just how much of the ship is accessible to the public. I feel like we could go pretty much everywhere. We saw the engine rooms, the sleeping quarters, the mess, the gun turrets and much much more!

The ship was refitted during the '50s so some it still represents that era while other parts have been restored to the WWII style.

Kids would have tons of fun climbing up and down the steep stairways. Just be sure to turn around and face the "ladder" when going down. (Watch your head.)