HMS Belfast

Europe's largest cruiser from WWII, HMS Belfast is now a floating naval museum, a landmark on the Thames near Tower Bridge, with its nine huge decks, including gun turrets, punishment rooms and an operating theatre. 'HMS Belfast in War and Peace' tells the story of the HMS Belfast from her inception in the mid-1930s to the decision to save her for the nation in 1971. Original artefacts, documents, plans and drawings (as well as contemporary paintings, photographs, models and audio-visual displays) give a detailed account of the life and times of the warship and the men who served in her. Under the care of the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast offers an immersive experience of what life would have been like for members of the 950-strong crew. As one of the most significant battleships to survive the second world war, you’ll learn all about the ships history, from Arctic convoys to D-Day, its role in the Cold War and beyond. The HMS Belfast also makes an unlikely playground for children, who tear around its cramped complex with ease.