School History Trips to London: Bringing the Second World War to Life

Explore the Human Stories of World War Two

The Imperial War Museum

The Imperial War Museum houses vast, award-winning galleries dedicated to the Second World War, spanning over two floors. These exhibitions are devoted to displaying, conserving and interpreting real-life stories of those who lived during times of severe conflict. The museum offers excellent resources that link to the World War Two curriculum, from primary resources of the Blitz, including authentic wartime objects, photos, personal accounts and immersive exhibitions such as bomb shelter recreations and the 1940’s house, to the Home Front and beyond.

Not only this, but the Imperial War Museum provides a deep insight into the global effects of World War Two. It includes the causes, timeline, and consequences, and with over 1,500 artefacts from around the world, students can explore the war from an international perspective.

Additionally, the Holocaust Galleries include over 2,000 personal belongings and stories from some of the six million Jewish people killed during the Holocaust. These letters, artwork, photos, toys, books and jewellery tell students of the true horrors of Nazi persecution millions faced during the regime. By connecting students with the real experiences of families and individuals affected by the Holocaust, exhibitions like these confront one of history’s darkest times and allow students to reflect on and empathise with those who lived during this time, furthering their understanding and knowledge of a harrowing period of history.

The Churchill War Rooms

Step into the Churchill War Rooms, where history is frozen in time as soon as the lights were switched off in 1945. Walk through a labyrinth of secret corridors and in the footsteps of the people who worked, ate and slept during the high-stress days and nights of World War Two.

As students explore the secret bunker, located under Westminster, they can uncover how the war was conducted on the Home Front. From the Cabinet War Room to transatlantic communication, the switchboard room, bedrooms and the map room, students will gain a fascinating insight into the decision-making process that shaped the course of the war and the scale of the global war efforts. Through immersive and authentic rooms, original artefacts and interactive displays, they can discover how key military strategies were planned and communicated across the globe, while learning about the vital roles of those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

The Churchill War Rooms provides students with a tangible connection to the past, as rooms are left exactly how they were since 1945, which helps further their knowledge of how Churchill’s government survived the Blitz while directing the war from a secret bunker located in the city of London. This excursion examines Britain’s role in World War Two, the Home Front and Churchill’s leadership and is an invaluable addition to a school history trip to London.

National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum is another great location for students learning about the Second World War. With its extensive archives and official records of the Dunkirk Evacuation, students can use this as a prime educational resource to expand their knowledge of evacuations and conflict at sea, most notably the Battle of the Atlantic.

The museum continues to preserve the legacy of Operation Dynamo as the main custodian of the official ‘Dunkirk List’, which tracked and compiled hundreds of naval vessels and civilian ‘little ships’ that rescued over 338,000 Allied troops from the coast in 1940. Here, students can analyse the documents, historical art and artefacts to think critically about whether this event was a triumph or a disaster, yet was framed as a propaganda victory that helped sustain British morale and support for the war effort.

Bringing history to life in London

While textbooks provide the foundations of history, there is no better way to engage with history than by visiting the very places where it unfolded. From exploring the Imperial War Museum exhibitions to walking through the corridors of the secret underground headquarters of the Churchill War Rooms and uncovering the stories of Dunkirk at the National Maritime Museum, on a school history trip to London brings the realities of the Second World War into sharper focus.

These experiences offer a tangible link to the past through immersive exhibitions, real-life stories of survival, and artefacts, giving students the opportunity to think critically as they engage with diverse first-hand source material. They provide them with a deeper and richer understanding of the people, events and consequences that have shaped human history as we know it. They help students become more aware of the world around them and of others’ experiences, making them more empathetic and open to others.

Ultimately, by stepping beyond the classroom into a space where history was made, students gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the past and how it continues to shape our world today.