Western Approaches Museum

The Western Approaches Museum is an underground bunker facility in Liverpool housing restored military control rooms with original communication equipment and wartime artifacts from the 1940s. The rooms preserve the apparatus used to track vessels and coordinate naval operations against German submarines during the Atlantic campaign.

The bunker was constructed during World War II as a naval command center and coordinated operations against German submarines throughout the conflict. Following the war, the facility was sealed and remained closed until the 1990s when it opened as a public museum.

The facility showcases how personnel from the Women's Royal Naval Service worked within these rooms, managing vital communication networks during the conflict. Their presence shaped daily operations and demonstrated essential roles women held in military infrastructure.

The museum is centrally located in Liverpool and accessible on foot from main transport hubs. Visitors should wear comfortable footwear since the underground rooms are reached by stairs and the tour covers multiple levels.

The facility retains one of only two surviving wartime telephone lines that connected directly to the London War Cabinet during the conflict. These connections served as the immediate communication route between command centers during critical military decisions.

Location: Liverpool

Inception: 1993

Address: 1-3 Rumford Street, Exchange Flags, Liverpool, Merseyside, L2 8SZ

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-17:00

Phone: +441512272008

Website: http://liverpoolwarmuseum.co.uk

GPS coordinates: 53.40750,-2.99324

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:42