Tag: HMS Belfast

Find your sea legs aboard HMS Belfast

Published on 28th February 2023

Ahoy shipmates! It’s time to find your sea legs. Take charge of HMS Belfast in this interactive family activity and complete fun tasks around the ship. It’s 1942 and HMS Belfast is ready to set sail. The only thing is we’ve misplaced where we are supposed to be going! We need your help to plot the course for the upcoming mission and make sure everything is shipshape and ready to go. Hop on the balance board to test how steady you’ll be on choppy seas. Figure out just how to feed 950 men on board with limited rations and even find out what kind of supplies you’ll need along the way. Get to grips with the science and skills needed to survive on HMS Belfast, solve nautical puzzles and discover for yourself what life was like for the ship’s company during the Second World War. Find out more  Find your Sea Legs has been developed with TV Presenter Ben Shires, host of Officially Amazing and Match of the Day: Kick About. This is a drop-in activity recommended for families with children aged 7+. This activity directs you around different areas of the ship and lasts approximately 45 mins. Part of IWM’s new family programme of activities created specifically to explore how STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) has impacted real people and the causes, courses and consequences of conflict.

River Cottage Deli

Published on 28th August 2018

River Cottage Deli has opened at HMS Belfast in partnership with food writer and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his team. Serving delicious food with the right intentions, it’s in River Cottage Deli’s nature to source the very best ingredients – seasonal, organic and local. As you’d expect, our meat comes from farms that produce free range or organic meat to the highest welfare standards; and our fish and shellfish come from West Country day boats and other sustainable sources in the South West. The regularly changing menu includes fresh sandwiches and a hot counter, offering homemade focaccia and filled baps, whilst the cold deli serves a range of vibrant, freshly prepared salads. The River Cottage Deli at HMS Belfast is open daily, 8am – 6pm (no entrance ticket required).

Damage Control! An Escape Room Adventure

Published on 07th August 2018

You’ve hit a mine. This is not a drill. You’re plunged into darkness. Do you have what it takes to save HMS Belfast? Join us this summer for an immersive escape room challenge on board London’s iconic warship. Based on a ship training scenario, hunt for clues and complete a series of damage control challenges as you race against the clock. Bring your partner, your friends or the whole family and test your ability to work as a team and keep a cool head under pressure. Whether you’re a Crystal Maze champion or a riddle-rookie, the challenge is suitable for ages 7+. Every day from 28 July to 9 September you can take part in this one-of-a-kind adventure on board HMS Belfast. Price includes general admission to HMS Belfast and exclusive use of the Escape Room for up to 6 people. Book Now £69 Ticket includes one game and admission to HMS Belfast, for up to 6 people.

We Were There: Meet Veterans and Eyewitnesses

Published on 17th July 2018

  Meet veterans and eyewitnesses from home and overseas who have lived through periods of conflict and hear more about their experiences. From life at the front line and being evacuated during the Second World War, to living through the Korean and Falklands Wars, these family-friendly sessions allow you to get an insight into conflict that you wouldn’t find in the history books from those who witnessed it first hand. 11am – 3pm (drop in)  

We Were There: Ask Questions About Conflict

Published on 06th April 2018

What do you want to know about everyday life during conflict? Meet veterans and eyewitnesses in this rare chance to hear their personal stories of conflict firsthand and ask questions. Hear about everyday life in wartime and discover their extraordinary stories in this interactive opportunity to explore the causes of war and its impact on people’s lives.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HMS BELFAST!

Published on 08th March 2018

Head to HMS Belfast and help celebrate her 80th birthday on the weekend of 17 – 18 March. Now a London landmark on the River Thames, on March 17 1938 she was launched by Mrs Neville Chamberlain to the cheers of hundreds of spectators. Since then she has served in the Arctic Convoys, fought in the Korean War, travelled the world and, famously, played a key role at the D-Day landings. On 17 March, you can meet veterans from across HMS Belfast’s 80 year history and learn about what it was like to live and work at sea. A number of free events on board include the return of Signals at Sea, where families can learn how lights, radios, codes and flags were used to pass messages from ship to ship. You can also learn how to send your own name in Morse Code, as well as a new signal created specifically for the occasion. Enjoy a slice of birthday cake created by Sophie Faldo, the 2017 winner of The Great British Bake Off, grab a souvenir photo in our Birthday Photobooth and try out some temporary tattoos to complete your Naval look. For visitors over 18, you can also enjoy a complimentary rum punch, inspired by the ‘tots, sippers and gulpers’ that were part of life in the Royal Navy all those years ago. Alongside all these activities, don’t miss your chance to explore all nine decks of the most significant surviving Second World War Royal Navy warship, still moored today on the River Thames.