Royal Air Force Museum London

A visit to the Royal Airforce Museum London gives you the unique opportunity to explore over 100 years of aviation in the UK. Make your way through the exciting, interactive galleries and marvel at the chance to take an up-close look at the Lancaster Bomber, a plane used throughout the Second World War.

There are also plenty of other activities to enjoy during your visit. During the warmer months, take a break in the sprawling picnic area, where younger visitors can enjoy some fun in the under-11s play area. Don't forget to stop off at the museum restaurant, Claude’s, for a delightful meal.

In May 1941, after the Battle of Britain came to an end, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said of the RAF pilots, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” World War I saw the RAF, then known as the RFC, put to the test in previously unimaginable ways.

Germany’s aggressive air strategy led to swathes of England suffering bomb raids and destruction that trenched the country in equal measures of determination and hopelessness. In response to relentless German air raids, the RFC split itself into two contingents and on April 1, 1918, and the RAF was born. In 1914, the RFC had 84 aircraft.

By the war’s end in 1918, the RAF had 300,000 officers and airmen and more than 22,000 aircraft and air superiority against the Germans. However, in September 1939, British aircraft numbers had diminished to just 2,000.

When Adolf Hitler planned his invasion of Britain in July 1940, Britain was alone in its resistance to Nazi Germany and vastly outnumbered in the air. Western democracies in continental Europe were falling one by one, their collapse signalling dark times ahead for Britain.

Against all the odds, the RAF used radar, more manoeuvrable aircraft and exceptional bravery to resist German air invasion, taking down aircraft in quick succession. Thanks to the men and women who flew and built the planes that took down Nazi hopes of invasion, the Battle of Britain came to an end in May 1941.

With over 160 aircraft on display between two London sites, the Royal Air Force Museum London boasts one of the world's most exceptional collections of military aircraft. This Air Force museum in London offers a unique opportunity to delve into the RAF's significance in the UK's military history.

Beyond static displays, the museum offers hands-on exhibits, interactive kiosks, and simulator rides.