Battle of Britain Aircraft Collection

Battle of Britain Hall

This exhibition tells the story of the world's first decisive air battle - when the Royal Air Force stood alone against the might of the German Luftwaffe. Alongside the very planes that fought for supremacy over the Channel, interactive displays give you an insight into the minds and actions of those who experienced the Battle at first hand.

Battle of Britain Hall

Short Sunderland

After war broke out in 1939, large numbers of Allied troops in France prepared for the German onslaught. When it came in May 1940, German tactics surprised and overwhelmed Allied air and ground forces, who retreated from Dunkirk. This left Britain isolated from Europe - the enemy just 20 miles away across the English Channel. With around four times more aircraft than RAF Fighter Command, Germany got ready to invade England.

The Battle of Britain Hall is open from 12pm - 6pm daily, unless stated otherwise as below.


Battle of Britain Hall Project - 2nd July onwards

As the refurbishment of the Battle of Britain Hall's roof and electrcal systems nears completion we will start opening up parts of the Hall again to the public. This means that for certain dates part of the Hall will be closed.

Area Closures

From 1st June until 1st July the Battle of Britain Hall will be closed in its entirety whilst we fit a glass wall to the East Gable and replace the West Gable.

Our Finest Hour, the Hall's sound and light show, and the Battle of Britain maze will re-open to the public on 2nd July.

The Sunderland Hall, at the East end of the Hall, and the Hall's Upper Mezzanine will remain closed whilst we fit a glass wall to this end of the Hall.

Currently, this refurbishment project is scheduled to be completed by 24th July, subject to favourable weather conditions. Updates will be posted on this page, should the project require more time. We would therefore suggest that you continue to visit this page during the course of July when planning your journey.

During this building work the Museum will endeavour to open the Grahame White Factory between 10:00 and 18:00 hours each day.