HMS Belfast, London, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

HMS Belfast is a Second World War Royal Navy cruiser moored permanently on the River Thames in London, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge. Launched in 1938, she helped support the Normandy landings in 1944 and is now a museum run by the Imperial War Museum. She is one of the few surviving ships from that operation.

The story behind it

HMS Belfast was launched in 1938 as a modern cruiser, fitted with the latest radar and fire control equipment of her day. Her career nearly ended early. In the first months of the war she struck a magnetic mine, which badly damaged her hull and kept her out of action for almost three years while she was repaired.

She returned to service and took part in the Normandy landings in June 1944, bombarding German positions along the coast in support of the troops going ashore. She stayed in service for years afterwards and was retired in the 1960s. Rather than being scrapped, she was brought to London and opened to the public as a museum in 1971. She is one of only a handful of ships from the Normandy operation that survive, alongside USS Texas and USS Laffey in the United States.

What to look for

• The big gun turrets on the deck, which show how a cruiser of this era delivered firepower from a distance.
• The sheer length of the hull, about 187 metres, which is easiest to appreciate from the riverside path beside her.
• The view across the water to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, one of the best skyline pairings on this stretch of the river.
• The grey wartime paintwork and the compact layout of the superstructure, which make clear this was a working warship and not a showpiece.

Tips for your visit

• You can see the ship from the Queen's Walk for free. Going aboard is ticketed, so check current opening hours and entry details before you go.
• If you plan to go inside, allow a good couple of hours, as the ship has many decks and narrow passages to explore.
• Late morning or early evening tends to be pleasant for photos, with softer light on the river and Tower Bridge behind.
• The Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the South Bank are all close by, so the ship fits easily into a half day on foot.

See it on a quest

Southwark Pirates: Adventure Walking Tour & Escape Game in London brings you to HMS Belfast on foot as one stop on a longer route through Southwark and the riverside. The app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look at the ship and its surroundings much more closely. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.