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The Ultimate Guide to visiting the HMS Belfast

Hms belfast ultimate guide.

To say that the HMS Belfast is a one-of-a-kind tourist attraction in London is an understatement (it is a “floating museum” after all). You're likely to see it while strolling along the Thames or during a free walking tour, but it's worth a visit to get on board.

The HMS Belfast is a museum ship which was a originally a Royal Navy light cruiser, and is permanently docked on the River Thames. Construction of the HMS Belfast first began in December of 1936 (although the ship wasn’t officially launched until 1938).

The HMS Belfast played an important role in various operations during the course of its use from 1939 to 1963. In 1939 the HMS Belfast was involved in the British naval blockade against Germany (and was even hit by a German mine), and in 1943 the ship helped escort Arctic Convoys to the then Soviet Union in 1943.

A year later, the HMS Belfast was involved in the Battle of North Cape, (during which it helped destroy a German warship), and in 1944 she assisted with Operation Overlord in support of the Normandy landings. A year later, the HMS Belfast was deployed to the far east to help with the British Pacific Fleet before assisting in the Korean War during the 1950s.

The HMS Belfast was eventually retired in 1963, and became a branch of the Imperial War Museum in 1978.

HMS Belfast Highlights

Thanks to the HMS Belfast’s many interactive and realistic facilities, visitors can get a bird’s-eye view of what it would have been like to live, work, and sleep on the ship during war times.

Not only can you explore all nine decks of the HMS Belfast, you can also visit the ship’s many rooms like the laundry room, the chapel, the wireless room, the captain deck, the mess decks, the sick bay, the galley, the gun direction platform, and even an interactive audio-visual plotting table. (Be prepared to get blasted with a face-full of artificial smoke when visiting the gun turret!)

There are interactive videos to illustrate how the ship’s crew would have functioned on a daily basis, as well as wax mannequins dressed up in uniforms in the working areas and living quarters.

You can even hear first-hand accounts from World War II veterans in the Life At Sea exhibition, and learn more about the ship’s numerous campaigns in the War and Peace exhibition.

Recently, the HMS Belfast launched an art intervention titled The Tourists by the famous artist Hew Locke, for which Locke creates an “alternative history” of the crew for the ship’s last international voyage to the Caribbean in 1962.

Special Tips

Getting There

Visiting the hms belfast.

A visit to the HMS Belfast generally takes around 90 minutes, although it isn’t uncommon for some visitors to spend at least half a day exploring all nine of its decks. There are self-guided audio tours available which provide background information on all of the rooms, as well as interviews and quotes from actual sailors who use to work on the HMS Belfast.

Be forewarned that on rainy days you may have to use certain ladders to explore the upper decks, and the ship may be closed at short notice. Smaller children (below 120 cm) will not be allowed to enter some levels on the ship.

There are toilet facilities on board as well as a small café for anyone in need of a refreshment during their visit.

Ticket prices and Opening Hours

The HMS Belfast is open daily (except December 24th, 25th and 26th) from:

• 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from November 1st to February 28th (with last admission at 4 p.m.)
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from February 29th to October 31st (last admission at 5 p.m.)

Sometimes the HMS Belfast will have to close early, so check the official website before you visit.

Admission tickets cost:

• £16 for adults (with donation) or £14.50 (without donation)
• £7.25 to £8 for children
• £11.60 to £12.80 for seniors, students and disabled adults
• £25.45 to £42 for groups or families
• Children under the ages of five can get in for free

There are free audio guides available for every visitor which are in several different languages. If you like you can also purchase an informative guide for £5 at the ticket desk.

If you want to check out the HMS Belfast, you might also be interested in joining some of the many free tours in London departing daily.

Free Tours in Your Language

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Launched in March 1938, HMS Belfast   saw active duty during World War II, playing a part in destroying the German battlecruiser   Scharnhorst   at the Battle of North Cape and in the   Normandy landings . It also served the Royal Navy in Korea and was used in peacekeeping duties in the 1950s and ’60s. It is now permanently docked in London near Tower Bridge and is operated by the   Imperial War Museum .

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our full disclosure policy here .

HMS Belfast is a Town-class cruiser and was constructed between 1936 and 1938. Commissioned in August 1939, she entered active service just before the outbreak of World War II. She initially served as part of the naval blockade against Nazi Germany during which time she was badly damaged by a mine. The mine almost caused the ship to be scrapped, but after extensive repairs, she returned to active service in 1942.

For the rest of the war she saw service around the globe, from escorting Arctic convoys to becoming part of the Pacific fleet. Two notable events are HMS Belfast’s roles in the destruction of the German ship Scharnhorst during the Battle of Cape Cod and being part of the D-Day Landings in Normandy. HMS Belfast is one of only three remaining vessels of the allied bombardment fleet from D-Day, the others are the destroyer USS Laffey and the battleship USS Texas. During her support of the D-Day landings she fired over 5,000 shells.

After World War II, HMS Belfast saw active service in the Korean War and remained in service until 1963. A campaign to preserve the ship as a museum was successful and the ship opened to the public in 1971 and became part of the Imperial War Museum in 1978.

HIGHLIGHTS OF HMS BELFAST

The entrance to HMS Belfast is on the south side of the River Thames, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge . You can’t miss the ship, moored menacingly in the centre of London. The tour is self-guided and takes you through the ship at your own pace using the audio guide that is included in your admission price.

The self-guided audio tour will take you through HMS Belfast in an orderly fashion. Being a formerly active warship, there are many routes and passageways, so following the audio guide is advised to ensure you see everything there is to see.

You’ll start the tour on the main deck of the ship at the stern with a great view of Tower Bridge to be had. You shouldn’t miss the gun turret experience before heading to see support areas of the ship such as the laundry and the morale-boosting mail room.

Heading below decks from here are the boiler and engine rooms before sickbay and the canteen as you progress towards the bow of the ship. Descending again you can visit the ‘B’ shell room where ammunition was stored before heading to the punishment cells right in the bow.

Admire the view up the Thames one deck up from the fo’c’sle as well as getting up close to some of those enormous gun turrets at the bow before heading to the bridge tower to see where the ship was run from. Finally, you’ll see the boat deck and smaller guns as you head to the stern where the tour finishes.

GUN TURRET EXPERIENCE

The 6-inch gun turret at the rear of HMS Belfast, known as ‘Y’ Turret, is an interactive experience that attempts to bring to life the experiences a young sailor would have experienced working as a gunner during a battle.

The battle in question is the Battle of North Cape, when HMS Belfast sighted the German ship Scharnhorst, and tells the young sailors story as HMS Belfast repels Scharnhorst and forces its retreat. HMS Belfast then shadowed the ship using radar allowing it to be intercepted and sunk by HMS Duke of York.

While unable to fully recreate the experience of being in a sea battle between two warships, the gun turret experience uses light, sound, smoke and movement to as closely as possible replicate the experience that a gunner would have had during battle.

BOILER AND ENGINE ROOMS

The heart of any ship, HMS Belfast’s four boilers powered steam turbines which drove four propellers. This gave the ship a speed of 32.5 knots (60 km/h, 37.5 mph) and with almost 2,500 tonnes of fuel onboard, she could sail for over 8,500 nautical miles (16,000 km, 10,000 miles) at a reduced speed of 13 knots.  You can only imagine how hot, smelly and sweaty it would have got down here when the ship was at full speed.

‘B’ SHELL ROOM AND HOIST

The ship’s ammunition stores are deep in the bowels of the ship to help protect them from enemy fire. The hoists from each shell room allowed the shells to be sent to the guns for firing as quickly as possible enabling the ship to keep its guns firing at their targets.

If the guns at the bow were fired today, the people taking a break from their journey at the London Gateway Service area at Scratchwood on the M1 would be in for a very unpleasant surprise, despite being 11.7 miles northwest of the ship!

ARCTIC MESS DECKS

When HMS Belfast was escorting arctic convoys conditions on board were less than ideal. Terrible weather, freezing temperatures and endless days (or nights), depending on the time of year, made for an uncomfortable service. The sailors kept their spirits up as best they could, having a variety of competitions, playing games and even gambling illegally. Being called to battle stations for the Battle of North Cape may have come as a relief to some that they finally could do what they were at sea to do.

The Arctic Mess Deck show how the sailors were crammed into the ship for these arduous duties.

The Bridge is the nerve centre of any ship, the primary location for the captain and his senior officers to oversee the ship and make decisions. The Bridge tower on HMS Belfast contains many of the decision making areas onboard including the operations rooms, wireless operator and gun direction platform. These all fed information to the captain so he could make the best decisions as to how to manoeuvre the ship; warning him of incoming threats and tracking enemy movements.

PLAN YOUR VISIT TO HMS BELFAST

Information last updated September 2019

HOW TO GET THERE

HMS Belfast can be found at The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2JH .

This is between London Bridge and  Tower Bridge   on the south side of the river Thames.  The entrance is towards the stern (rear) of the ship

The nearest tube station is London Bridge (Northern and Jubilee lines) and London Bridge is also on National Rail, the station is just seven-minutes walk.

Parking is available less than ten minutes walk away at NCP London Bridge .

HELPFUL LINKS:

• If you need an app that will navigate you around whether walking, driving or using public transport and even works offline then click for a guide about   how to use Here WeGo .
• The Tube Map/London Underground App ( Android  and Apple ) is very useful for getting around London. It's free, has a route planner, and works offline.
• Transport for London website's " Plan Your Journey" tool will give you results for trip time on the Tube, bus, or walking. Note the walking time as sometimes it is the quickest, easiest, option!

OPENING HOURS

Opening hours are 1000-1800 every day except for the 24th to 26th December. Last admission is one hour before closing.

As most of the attraction is indoors, any time of year is a good time to visit and it could be the perfect place to visit on a rainy or cold day. We would recommend you allow at least two hours to fully explore the ship.

HOW TO BUY TICKETS & SAVE MONEY ON ADMISSION

Basic admission prices are £18 for adults, £9 for children 5-15 years, £14.40 for over 60s, students and disabled visitors. One carer per disabled visitor can visit for free.  You can save 10% by booking online in advance

HMS Belfast is included in the London Pass  and London Explorer Pass  which can offer savings depending on what else you are doing whilst you are in London. If you are travelling by train on National Rail  you may also be eligible for great savings with the  2 for 1 London offer by Days Out Guide . This offer is not available all the time but it is well worth a quick look on their website to see if it’s available for when you’d like to visit. 

ACCESSIBILITY

HMS Belfast was built as a warship, not a tourist attraction, so it contains many areas which are only accessible via ladders and steps, some of which are quite steep. However, the ship has been modified to provide as much access as possible to wheelchair users allowing them to visit both main decks. The ship is quite cramped and you should be careful when moving around, especially when moving between decks.

For full accessibility details please visit the HMS Belfast Accessibility page.

IS HMS BELFAST WORTH THE VISIT?

As one of only three remaining D-Day warships, HMS Belfast holds a special place in history. Visiting the ship and learning about notable events its history as well as how life was onboard during its active service, we found our visit to HMS Belfast to well worth it. To see how the ship operated and explore so much of the vessel was both interesting and informative.

See what others think of this attraction on Trip Advisor .

ADD TO YOUR ITINERARY

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life” said Samuel Johnson, so it’s no surprise that there are a plethora of things to do in the UK’s capital city. Here are a few choice selections to whet your appetite.

IN THE AREA

• Nearby  Tower Bridge  offers wonderful views of the city, including straight down to the road and river below through the glass floor!
• Step further back in time to the 11th century and visit the  Tower of London  to see the Crown Jewels, the White Tower, and take a tour by one of the Yeoman Warders.
• The Shard is the tallest building in the UK, get a birds-eye view of London from its 243m (800 ft) high viewing platform.
• If you don’t want to quite that high, then   The Monument , which was built to commemorate the Great Fire of London, offers great views of HMS Belfast and   Tower Bridge .
• Take a trip back to what prisons were like centuries ago with a tour of The Clink Prison Museum , built on the original site of the prison which dated back to 1144.

RELATED ATTRACTIONS IN AND AROUND LONDON

• Continue learning about World War II history, as well as other conflicts through history, at the   Imperial War Museum .
• Explore the   Churchill War Rooms , the actual rooms where Churchill and his chiefs of staff formulated strategy for the defence of the UK during World War II.
• Step aboard the worlds only surviving extreme clipper, the Cutty Sark . Over 150 years old, it was one of the fastest ships of its day.
• To learn more about the Britains seafaring history, visit the National Maritime Museum , the largest in the world, in nearby Greenwich.
• North of London you can find   IWM Duxford , a branch of the Imperial War Museum which houses nearly 200 aircraft including warplanes and a development Concorde.

RESOURCES | PLAN YOUR TRIP TO LONDON

To book flights, rental cars, accommodations, and activities for your trip, please check out our recommended travel providers, favourite apps and websites. 

These are a few tours that relate to HMS Belfast that we would recommend for your trip to London.

Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission but this does not affect the price to you. Please read our   full disclosure policy here . 

RELATED POSTS

Guide to visiting the tower of london, guide to visiting london’s tower bridge, exploring london in one day ultimate itinerary, 8 great unesco sites to visit from london, guide to visiting london’s churchill war rooms.

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HMS BELFAST

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HMS Belfast is a Southampton class cruiser and is permanently moored in the River Thames as a floating museum. HMS Belfast saw active service during the Second World War, most notably at the Battle of North Cape where she took part in the sinking of the German battlecruiser “Scharnhorst”. She also took part in the Normandy landings.

Visitor information

Regular events.

• School holiday activities
• Meet the veterans days

Website:  www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast

Address: The Queens Walk, London, SE1 2JH

Nearest pier:  St Katharine’s  ( Blue and Pink Routes )

Nearest tube: London Bridge

• Jubilee Line
• Northern Line (Bank branch)

USEFUL TO KNOW

• Most of the HMS Belfast is wheelchair accessible, but because of the nature of the ship, there are some areas which are not suitable for wheelchairs, prams, pushchairs or people with limited mobility. See the Accessibility page for more information. www.iwm.org.uk/visits/hms-belfast/access

Other Attractions

• Westminster Pier
• Bankside Pier
• Greenwich Pier

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HMS Belfast | HMS Belfast and DDay: A Guided Tour

Join our expert guides aboard HMS Belfast for a chronological tour of the events of D-Day as they unfolded 80 years ago, hour by hour. Told through the oral histories of the men who were on board during the operation. This ticket includes the headset tour and admission to HMS Belfast. Please note that as this tour explores lower and upper decks that are accessible by vertical ladder only, unfortunately it is impossible for wheelchair users and may not be suitable for those with restricted mobility.

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HMS Belfast

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* The Gun Turret Experience * Hear Veterans’ First Hand Experiences in the Life at Sea Exhibition * Nine Decks Full of Amazing History * Free Audio Guides Available in English, French, German and Spanish

• The Gun Turret experience
• Hear veterans first-hand experiences
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• Free audio guides available in English, French, German and Spanish
• Entry to HMS Belfast
• Audio Guides available in English, French, German and Spanish

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This tour allows you to navigate around the main decks. Choose a deck to start your Virtual Tour. Panoramic images are available for locations labelled in bold text.

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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 24 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

HMS Belfast Tickets and Deals

This post will provide details about how to visit the historic HMS Belfast, including tickets, deals, exhibits and nearby attractions.

• Plan Your Visit
• Other Things to Do in London

Ticket prices are rather affordable, particularly if you take advantage of one of the many available offers.

Prices below are for tickets purchased in advance online. Tickets at the entrance gate cost slightly more.

• Adult (16-64): £24.50
• Child (5-15): £12.25
• Concessions: £22.05
• Child under 5: free
• Purchase tickets or learn more .

NOTE: Concession prices are valid for seniors over the age of 65, students with ID, and disabled visitors.

Cancellation

As per the cancellation policy mentioned in Imperial War Museums website , tickets are non-transferrable and non-refundable.

Thus visitors are requested to carefully select date, time and number of tickets required.

There are a variety of different ways to save money on tickets to the HMS Belfast.

This section will cover some of the best offers you can get on admission to this notable landmark.

Tourist Passes

In the past, admission to HMS Belfast has been included for free or at a concession in most London tourist attraction passes. Sadly, tickets to this attraction are not currently provided by any of the London tourist passes.

That said, if you're planning to visit other attractions in the area, these services might still save you a lot of money on additional activities.

It's also worth noting that HMS Belfast is likely to be included with these tourist passes in the future, so you might want to check what they have to offer.

These passes can save you up to 55% off of the retail prices of many of London’s top attractions and tours such as the following:

• Tower Bridge
• Windsor Castle
• Tower of London
• Kensington Palace
• St. Paul's Cathedral
• Westminster Abbey
• Hampton Court Palace
• Churchill War Rooms
• Thames River Cruise
• Hop-on-Hop-off Bus Tour

They can also save you time by allowing you to skip the queue.

Consider one of the following concession passes:

• The London Pass
• London Explorer Pass
• London Sightseeing Pass

Each of these services provides admission to several attractions for one low price.

Take a look at our post covering London City Passes for more details.

Combo Tickets

There are currently two combo packages available which include admission to the HMS Belfast:

HMS Belfast + Westminster Walking Tour

• £58/Adults | £28/Children
• Includes admission to HMS Belfast
• Includes a Westminster walking tour

HMS Belfast + Churchill War Rooms + Westminster Walking Tour

• £95/Adults | £45/Children
• Includes admission to Churchill War Rooms
• Includes a 3-Hour Westminster walking tour

Discount London

This popular concession service often offers price cut on tickets for HMS Belfast . Alternatively, you may also want to check Groupon .

Both of these offer sites frequently provide great deals on local activities and attractions in London.

2 For 1 Ticket Programme

The 2 For 1 program allows National Rail customers to enjoy a buy-one-get-one-free deal on several popular activities in London.

In the past, they used to offer this deal on tickets for HMS Belfast.

There are a few (somewhat inconvenient) rules you need to follow to take advantage of this offer, but it can be a great way to save money on admission.

Although this deal is not currently available as of March 2024, we recommend checking the Days Out Guide to see if it's being offered when you plan to visit HMS Belfast.

Concession Tickets 

Students, and adults over 64 pay slightly less for tickets. Be sure to bring your ID.

Tickets for individuals with a disability cost slightly less and one carer is allowed to enter for free. ( See prices above ).

Military Offer

As of March 2024, it offers free admission to serving UK armed forces and veterans on both Armed Forces Day and Remembrance Sunday.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Proudly moored on the south side of the River Thames near London Bridge, the HMS Belfast was saved from the scrapyard in the 1960s by the Imperial War Museum who now operate the craft as a museum ship.

For those who love history, especially the history of WWII, a visit to the HMS Belfast is a must. 

TIP: Check out our post detailing London’s other military museums . 

Best Times to Go

Most people stay about 90 minutes, however, with the amount of information in the exhibits, one could spend half a day here. 

Fortunately for travelers, you can visit any day of the year except December 24, 25, and 26. Weekdays are less crowded, with most people visiting between 11 am - 3 pm.

On weekends, there are considerably more visitors, with the busiest times being 12 pm - 4 pm. 

Where is the HMS Belfast?

It is located on the Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge .  

The nearest Underground stop is London Bridge, but you could also reach the ship easily from Tower Hill and Monument Underground stations. 

You can also take the National rail to the London Bridge station.

We recommend using this Google map  to get exact directions from anywhere in London. 

TIP: If you are new to London, you might be interested in reading our post on  how to use the London Underground .

Alternatively, if you are considering purchasing a hop-on-hop-off bus ticket while in London, keep in mind that all companies make a stop here.

Directions for Drivers

If you're on the north side, drive south on A3 or A201 towards London Bridge. Cross the bridge, turn left onto Tooley Street, and you'll find HMS Belfast on your right.

If you're on the south side, head north on A200, cross Tower Bridge, turn right onto Tooley Street, and you'll spot HMS Belfast on your right. Parking is available nearby.

Directions for Tube users

If you're on the north side of the Thames, take the Northern or Jubilee line to London Bridge station. Walk south across London Bridge, and you'll reach HMS Belfast on the river's south bank near Morgan's Lane.

If you're on the south side, use the District or Circle line to Tower Hill station, then head southeast on Tower Bridge Approach to find HMS Belfast on the north bank of the Thames.

Directions for Bus users

From the north side, take bus 343 towards London Bridge and alight at London Bridge station. Walk south across the bridge to HMS Belfast on the south bank.

From the south side, take bus RV1 towards Covent Garden and disembark at Tower Bridge Road. Walk east to reach HMS Belfast on the north bank of the Thames near Morgan's Lane.

Visitor Information

• Open daily except  December 24, 25 & 26
• 4 November to 20 February: 10 am - 5 pm (last admission 4 pm)
• 21 February to November: 10 am - 6 pm (last admission 5 pm)

NOTE: In particularly bad weather, some portions may be closed to the public or the entire craft may be closed to the public completely.

Due to limited space on HMS Belfast, larger backpacks and luggage are not allowed.

There are plenty of places nearby to store your bags , however. 

Audio Guide

Tourists visiting the Belfast are given an audio guide to assist as they walk in and along the numerous corridors, sectors, and hallways throughout the ship, getting a glimpse of what life was like for those that historically worked on this vessel.

This is a very useful service included with the price of your ticket, and it can help you learn a lot about all the exhibits on the HMS Belfast.

There are separate family-friendly audio guides for visitors under the age of 12, ensuring that families need not worry about their children being disturbed by certain exhibits and artifacts.

Free audio guides are available in English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Mandarin, Polish, Russian and Spanish.

Nearby Attractions

There are several popular attractions in the vicinity of the HMS Belfast. You might want to combine your visit to the ship with another attraction. Here are some of them:

• London Bridge
• Monument to the Great Fire

Another idea is to take a ferry ride on the nearby commuter ferry, the Thames Clippers. 

Since you have just been on a stationary ship, you might like to get out on the water and actually move! 

The Thames Clipper is a commuter ferry, not a cruise. It departs from the London Bridge City Pier, just a 5-minute walk from the HMS Belfast.

It is an affordable way to see the London skyline from the river. You can find out more about the Thames Clipper from our post about  which London boat trips are best .  

The HMS Belfast is one of the most historic ships in all of England, and it has been lovingly transformed into a “floating museum.”

Each room on the ship is essentially its own exhibit, with authentic artifacts from the era and sometimes even interactive displays to help visitors learn more about how the area was used.

In this section, we will cover some of the more popular experiences and exhibitions included on the HMS Belfast.

Gun Turret Experience

This is a relatively new exhibit that covers the turrets on the second level of the ship.

Discover how the magazines were loaded into the guns and how they worked.

Boiler and Engine Room

With several cutaway displays explaining how the boiler and engines work, this is easily one of the most popular exhibits on the ship.

Visitors will also learn significant details about some of the hardships faced by people who worked on this section of the HMS Belfast.

Arctic Mess Decks

The mess deck is where everyone gathered to eat and talk about life.

This exhibit actually includes a re-creation of what that experience was like, complete with mannequins depicting everyday activities.

Operations Room

This is where all the biggest decisions were made, including plotting courses and figuring out how to approach any given target.

There is a display allowing visitors to plot their own course which kids might enjoy.

While this might be a little creepy for younger visitors, it’s definitely an interesting exhibit that shows how the sick were treated on board the HMS Belfast.

As with other areas of the ship, there are mannequins depicting real events that took place in this area.

Living Quarters

See where everyone lived while onboard this historic ship.

These areas include a lot of artifacts and displays, including an exhibit focusing on a variety of different knots used by seamen.

There are also diaries and other notable items from throughout the history of the HMS Belfast.

Climb the ladders

There are nine levels on a ship that you can explore. You can use ladders to go up and down between the different levels.

You start from the engine rooms on the lower levels and can go all the way up to the highest part of the ship called the flag deck.

Other Permanent Exhibitions, Display and Installations

• Lower Decks - Highlights include Steer the ship, Under Pressure & Shell Rooms
• A Happy Ship - Highlights include A tot of rum, A taste of home & Gallantry near the Galley
• World of Warships: Command Centre
• Home From Home - Highlights include Unwind on board, Battling the bitter cold & Don’t get locked up!
• The Quarter Deck - Highlights include 25 years at sea, The great views of Tower Bridge & D-Day Experience.
• Feeding the Crew - Highlights include A hungry crew depending on you!, Belfast’s bakery & Look out for the cat!
• Life on Board - Highlights include Find your rank, Name that tune & Keeping in touch
• Upper Decks - Highlights include 360° Views, Sit in the Captain’s chair & Command a Fleet of Ships
• Fighting Fit - Highlights include Meet Tony Rowan, Sea beds & Not just for the crew

Built between the years of 1936-1938, this historic ship was originally intended to be part of the British naval blockade against Germany.

It was initially created to fill the brief of  "a 9,000-ton cruiser sufficiently armored to withstand a direct hit from an 8-inch shell, capable of 32 knots and mounting twelve 6-inch guns." 

The ship would also carry seaplanes and hold its’ own anti-aircraft defense.

It served during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. For this massive and historic invasion, the Belfast was used as the headquarters ship of Bombardment Force E.

The Belfast supported the landings by British and Canadian forces in both the Gold and Juno Beach locations.

There is far more to the history of this vessel, and you can learn more about it by using the excellent  interactive 80th Anniversary HMS Belfast timeline .

Facts and Figures

• Class & Type: Town-class light cruiser
• Builder: Harland and Wolff Shipyard, Belfast, UK
• Displacement: 11,550 tons
• Length: 613 ft 6 in (186.99 m)
• Beam: 63 ft 4 in (19.3 m)
• Draught: 18 ft 3 in (5.56m) forward – 19 ft 9 in (6.02 m) aft
• Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h)
• Complement (number of crew): 781 – 881
• Armament: 12 6-inch guns, 12 4-inch dual-purpose guns, 16 2-pounder AA, 8 Vickers 0.5-inch machine guns, 6 21-inch torpedo tubes
• Aviation facilities: 2 hangars and 1 catapult (removed 1945) 

Want more of war-time London? Then book yourself onto London’s only pay-what-you-like World War II Tour !

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to pre-book HMS Belfast tickets?

It is not required to pre book your tickets.

But during peak tourist seasons when there might be higher demand, booking tickets can help you secure your entry for your preferred date and time.

Can you stay overnight on the HMS Belfast?

Yes, 'Kip in a Ship' package of this ship provides children aged 7-16 to experience a sleepover in the heart of London.

Educational institutions and youth groups can partake in maritime-themed nighttime events, a personal tour of the Captain's Bridge and Flag Deck, and the opportunity to experience ship's interior life along the River Thames during this exciting expedition.

To know more, click here .

Is the HMS Belfast still seaworthy?

HMS Belfast is permanently moored on the River Thames in London and serves as a museum ship operated by the Imperial War Museum.

It is not used for active naval operations and is not considered seaworthy in the traditional sense.

Why is the HMS Belfast in the Thames?

HMS Belfast is permanently moored on the River Thames in London as a museum ship.

The decision to place it on the Thames was made to provide a central and accessible location for visitors to learn about its history and explore its decks.

The ship's location also offers a unique view of the river and the city's skyline.

Related Posts 

• Visit the Imperial War Museum
• Visit the Churchill War Rooms
• London’s Other Military Museums
• Where to Store Luggage in London

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