R
Fantastic “top secret” museum
Excellent museum! So much information, well laid out, welcoming staff at the desk. Really good value for money.
Western Approaches Self Guided Tour
At a glance
- Duration
- 1–2 hours
- Price from
- $22 / person
- Location
- Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Rating
- 4.8 / 5 · 571 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- 1–15 pax
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Western Approaches Museum
Description
Western Approaches offers a truly unique glimpse of a hidden, secret world which had an important place and role to play in war torn Liverpool. Now, the bunker is a hidden gem and an important time capsule left as it would have been in 1945. Visiting the bunker not only explains the vital work achieved within it, it also brings to life stories of the people who served there and even lived there. 80% of the 300 staff who worked there at any one time were women aged between 17-22 and we recognise the hard work, sacrifice and expertise these women had and the roles they performed. Walk through hidden rooms and discover the stories locked in the wartime bunker that protected the tactics and secrets of the British Armed Forces plotting to bulwark the Western Approaches and aid the Allied victory. The bunker is a museum but we fully encourage visitors to sit at the desks, touch the typewriters and telephones used by the staff to discover a truly immersive experience.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Every day
- Next available
- Wed, Oct 7
- Adult (ages 16+)
- $22
- Child (ages 6–15)
- $1
- Infant (ages 0–5)
- Free
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 6.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Western Approaches HQ Museum - The Battle of the Atlantic Experience
Western Approaches HQ is a secret WW2 bunker underneath Liverpool's City Centre, close to The Town Hall. Walk through hidden rooms and discover the stories locked in the wartime bunker that protected the tactics and secrets of the British Armed Forces plotting to bulwark the Western Approaches and aid the Allied victory. Glimpse the documents and tools the forces used to monitor enemy convoys and inform the British government of their findings whilst keeping their intelligence secret from the enemy, including one of only two surviving wartime phones which had a direct connection to the war cabinet in London. See where commanders and WRNS and WAAF personnel worked every day and night in the Map Room, the nerve centre of the Battle of the Atlantic. Here they monitored convoy routes and vital shipping lines, and pin-pointed enemy locations on a huge map laid across the table; total accuracy was necessary to enable the Royal Navy to contact and destroy the enemy. The Map Room which was the nerve centre of the bunker has remained exactly how as it was left when the doors were closed on 15 August 1945. Experience a self guided tour of the museum where you can walk through the corridors, sit at desks, play with typewriters and teleprinter machines, look at the telephone exchange and try on uniforms. There is also a room at the end of the tour where hot drinks are available at war time prices and there are traditional games to play and a film to watch about life in Liverpool during the war.
What's included
Included
Each guest is given an identity card as their museum pass, identical to the original staff passes
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
571 reviews
How it compares in Liverpool
- No. 18 by number of reviews among 298 tours in Liverpool
- Starting price $22 is 61% below the typical $57 for tours of similar length in Liverpool
Excurgo comparison of 298 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note there are steps down into the bunker
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Western Approaches Self Guided Tour take?
Western Approaches Self Guided Tour lasts about 1–2 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Western Approaches Self Guided Tour cost?
Prices start at $22 per person for this Liverpool experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Western Approaches Self Guided Tour run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day.
How much does Western Approaches Self Guided Tour cost for children?
Children aged 6–15 pay from $1, adults from $22. Infants go free.
Can I cancel Western Approaches Self Guided Tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
What languages is Western Approaches Self Guided Tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Western Approaches Self Guided Tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 571 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Western Approaches Museum.
Reviews(571)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
B
A great museum
A great museum, located in the centre of Liverpool. You feel a great sense of history walking around this building. It really is very evocative. Highly recommended.
M
Great museum
Really great to see it being kept so well. Everyone should go.
A
Well worth a visit
Very interesting time-capsule and it showed how we nearly lost WW2 in the Battle of the Atlantic. The front entrance of the building has flags hanging outside it, otherwise you would walk past it
D
A most interesting experience.
This was a most interesting tour with excellent written information included in each room. The highlight of the tour was the Map room which had the original ceiling to floor map of the Atlantic used in the Second World War to plot the position of Warships, Convoys and Uboats. Fascinating! I went with my husband as part of a weekend away for his birthday. He is interested in the War, I didn't think I would find it very interesting....but I was wrong!
S
A must visit
Very interesting learned about the battle of the Atlantic
S
Well worth a visit!
Brilliant exhibition. My daughter is 6 and was very engaged with the activities. Lots of opportunity to read detail, but also able to pick up the main points quickly without having to read too much. Lots of original layout which is great. Bigger than I had expected. The staff were very friendly and informative. Recommended to friends. We spent about 2 hours there but could have been longer.
L
A hidden gem in...
A hidden gem in Liverpool's history. After going to Liverpool University for four years and countless trips to the city since, we stumbled across this amazing piece of history. We never fully knew how integral Liverpool was in the war effort.
N
Pair with Churchill War rooms
We had done the War Rooms recently and while this was a similar underground bunker style the stories are very different. It is incredibly impressive to see how they tracked the ships and planned routes.
S
Western approaches Liverpool
The staff are very pleasant and friendly easy to navigate with plenty of interactive bits and dress up areas for the kids the price was reasonable less than £20 for 1 adult and 1 child
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| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Approaches Self Guided Tour | 1–2 hours | 4.8 (571) | $22 | |
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from$22
4.8(571) Free cancellation