HMS Belfast Guide: Tickets, Opening Times & What's On Board
2 - 3 h
WWII Cruiser & Floating Museum (part of Imperial War Museums)
Launched 1938; served 1939-1963
The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2JH, United Kingdom
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Practical Visitor Info & Tips
£26.80
£24.10
10:00 - 18:00 daily. Last admission 17:00. Closed 24-26 December.
Advance timed-entry booking is strongly recommended, especially during busy periods. Walk-up admission may still be possible, but waiting times can apply.
| Standard | Daily | 10:00 - 18:00 | Last Admission: 17:00 |
Last Admission: 17:00.
Closed On: Closed 24, 25 and 26 December every year.
Entry to all nine decks of the ship, from the Boiler and Engine Rooms below sea level up to the Flag Deck, including rotating exhibits, family activities (every weekend and daily in school holidays), and multi-language audio guides. A separate guided tour and film screenings are not included in general admission.
| Ticket Type | Price | Reservation | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | £26.80 | Recommended, not required | Official site or on-site |
| Concession (65+/student/disabled) | £24.10 | Recommended, not required | Official site or on-site |
| Child (5-15) | £13.40 | Recommended, not required | Official site or on-site |
| Under 5 / IWM member | Free | N/A | On-site |
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Ticket Options
£26.80
Check whether a city pass already covers this attraction before buying separately.
See pass compatibility below ↓Overview & Visitor Introduction
HMS Belfast is a Second World War Royal Navy light cruiser permanently moored on the River Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, now run as a floating museum by Imperial War Museums (IWM).
The ship once carried 950 crew and is large enough that you could almost lay Big Ben across its deck twice. A visit means climbing between all nine decks — from the Boiler and Engine Rooms far below the waterline up to the open-air Flag Deck — exploring mess decks, the Captain's Bridge, a chapel, a radio station and even a bakery along the way.
Like Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast is part of the Imperial War Museums family but is genuinely paid — IWM's general free-admission policy that applies at IWM London and IWM North does not extend here.
History & Significance
Launched in 1938, HMS Belfast fired some of the opening Allied shots of the D-Day landings in 1944, served in the Arctic convoys in freezing conditions, and later saw action in the Korean War, giving her a service record spanning the Second World War through to 1963.
She was saved from the scrapyard by a dedicated trust and opened to the public in 1971, moving under Imperial War Museums' management in 1978. Today she is one of the few surviving large Royal Navy warships from the Second World War era open to the public anywhere in the world.
What to See: Top Highlights
Nine decks to explore
From the Boiler and Engine Rooms below sea level to the Flag Deck at the very top — most visitors spend at least three hours aboard.
Mess decks & Captain's Bridge
See where the 950-strong crew lived and worked, and stand where the ship was commanded.
Gun turrets & armament
Climb through the ship's twin 6-inch gun turrets, which helped fire on D-Day's opening hours.
Thames skyline views
Moored between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, with views over the river and City skyline from the top deck.
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Pass Compatibility
Compare London PassesIncluded in both of Go City's London passes (Explorer and All-Inclusive). Not included in Turbopass London.
Go City London Explorer Pass
Included. Confirmed on Go City’s own HMS Belfast attraction page, tagged available on both the Explorer and All-Inclusive passes.
Go City London All-Inclusive Pass
Included. Confirmed on Go City’s own HMS Belfast attraction page, tagged available on both the Explorer and All-Inclusive passes.
Turbopass London
Not included. Not named in Turbopass's own published inclusion list for London.
Data Provenance
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Frequently Asked Questions
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