HMS Belfast (Part of Imperial War Museum)

SE1 2JH London, Great Britain (UK)

History of HMS Belfast (They have also a wireless-room)

The term 'cruiser' goes back to the days of sailing ships when large frigates could be detached from the main fleet to cruise independently.

The sailing cruiser, like her twentieth-century counterpart, was sufficiently powerful and fast to attack and destroy enemy commerce raiders. During the nineteenth century when sail gave way to steam and wooden ships were replaced by those built of iron, and later of steel, the cruiser evolved into a powerful warship which was used to patrol the Empire trade routes and protect friendly merchant shipping.

After the First World War (1914-1918) a single category of cruiser emerged whose size was indicated by the size of its guns; thus, HMS Belfast is a 6-inch cruiser, designed for the protection of trade, for offensive action, and as a powerful support for amphibious operations.

HMS Belfast could once be controlled from the Operations Room, the nerve centre and brain of the entire ship. Visitors can now imagine exactly what this would have been like as the Operations Room is updated with exciting interactives. The room boasts a new simulated radar which plots other ship's positions, based on the real-life Pony Express exercise of 1961 which involved 60 warships, 20,000 naval personnel and 6,000 US, British and Australian troops off North Borneo in the South China Sea.
Entry included in general admission price.

One of the most powerful large light cruisers ever built, HMS Belfast is now the only surviving vessel of her type to have seen active service during the Second World War.

Serving Britain for 32 years, she played an important role in both the Second World War and the Korean War as well as performing peacekeeping duties throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Saved from destruction in 1971, HMS Belfast is now part of the Imperial War Museum and is the first ship to be preserved for the nation since Nelson’s Victory.

Through its team of staff and volunteers – many of whom are veteran crew – the Imperial War Museum is dedicated to making sure that HMS Belfast still has a role to play in reminding visitors of her unique place in Britain’s maritime heritage.

The Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society restored the ship's Bridge Wireless Office to working order.

Locations of  Imperial War Museum

Imperial War Museum - IWM London

Imperial War Museum - IWM Duxford

Imperial War Museum - IWM North

Churchill War Rooms

HMS Belfast

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