London Drum

Military Museums in London - War Memorials and Daily Parades

Looking for military museums, war memorials or ceremonial parades in London? This page covers 21 places from the Imperial War Museum, HMS Belfast and the Churchill War Rooms to Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace. I've personally visited and reviewed every place listed, and given them an honest rating: ★ is okay, ★★ is good and ★★★ is great. For the latest parades and exhibitions browse parades and ceremonies in London and upcoming military events in London.

★★★Apsley HouseApsley House

From £16Apsley House was where the Duke of Wellington lived after his victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, and is filled with his war memorabilia

★★★Bletchley ParkBletchley Park

From £28Bletchley Park was a top-secret facility where Alan Turing worked to crack the German Enigma codes during the darkest days of World War II

★The CenotaphThe Cenotaph

-The Cenotaph stands in the centre of Whitehall and is the focus of the Remembrance Day Parade when veterans march past and salute

★★★Ceremony of the KeysCeremony of the Keys

-The Yeoman Warders have kept up this ceremony for 700 years. You can watch them lock up the Tower of London gates every night

★★★Changing the Guard at Buckingham PalaceChanging the Guard at Buckingham Palace

FreeThis popular tourist parade takes place on Buckingham Palace’s forecourt with marching bands and shouting sergeants

★★Changing the Guard at Horse GuardsChanging the Guard at Horse Guards

FreeWatch the Household Cavalry’s daily change-over ceremony on Horse Guards Parade and outside the boxes on Whitehall

★★Chatham DockyardChatham Dockyard

From £32This historic dockyard has lots of boats you can walk around: a 19th-century sloop, a World War II destroyer and even a cold war submarine

★★★Churchill War RoomsChurchill War Rooms

From £34The bunker underneath Whitehall where Churchill directed the war still looks exactly the same as VE day when they closed it

★★Dismounting CeremonyDismounting Ceremony

FreeEvery day at 4 o’clock the Household Cavalry leave their horse-boxes on Whitehall to return to their barracks in Horse Guards

★★Guards’ MuseumGuards’ Museum

Under £15Learn the history of the Foot Guards regiments: the Coldstream Guards, Grenadier Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards and Welsh Guards

★★★HMS BelfastHMS Belfast

From £26This Second World War cruiser moored next to Tower Bridge allows you to explore all the decks, including the bridge, mess and missile room

★Household Cavalry MuseumHousehold Cavalry Museum

Under £15The highlight of this museum is a window into the stable where they groom the horses of the Household Cavalry

★★Imperial War MuseumImperial War Museum

FreeThis military museum tells the story of the army from the early days of the British Empire right up to our modern-day wars

★★National Army MuseumNational Army Museum

FreeThe National Army Museum focuses on the land forces of the British military from the English Civil War up to World War II and beyond

★★National Maritime MuseumNational Maritime Museum

FreeGreenwich has had a long association with the sea, and the National Maritime Museum tells the story of the British navy

★★★RAF MuseumRAF Museum

FreeThe RAF Museum has more planes than an airport – you can see everything from a Spitfire and Lancaster Bomber to a colossal Vulcan bomber

★★★The CenotaphRemembrance Day Parade

FreeThe Remembrance Day Parade in November is a chance for the country to honour the fallen soldiers of all Commonwealth wars

★★★State Opening of ParliamentState Opening of Parliament

-The Household Cavalry leads the King to Parliament so he can read the government’s political program for the coming year

★★★Tower of LondonTower of London

From £37This World Heritage Site is famous for the Crown Jewels, Traitor’s Gate, the grisly executions on Tower Green, and the Norman White Tower

★★★Trooping the ColourTrooping the Colour

-This annual parade is held to celebrate the King’s birthday with military bands, marching soldiers and a flypast over Buckingham Palace balcony

★Wellington BarracksWellington Barracks

-This barracks on the northern edge of St James’s Park is home to the Scots Guards, Grenadier Guards and Coldstream Guards

Some more ideas to help you plan your holiday

Top 10 free things to do in London

Two of the daily parades on this page made it into my top ten list of favourite places that won’t cost you any money to visit

Top 10 historic sites in London

I have personally visited every attraction on this page, and have ranked the Tower of London as the number one historic site in the city

Military events and exhibitions in London

Gun salutes in Green Park, Hyde Park & Tower of LondonGun salutes in Green Park, Hyde Park & Tower of London

Listen to a deafening gun salute to mark the monarch's birthday or accession to the throne      

Winston Churchill: The Painter at the Wallace CollectionWinston Churchill: The Painter at the Wallace Collection

The first major retrospective of Winston Churchill's paintings, bringing together over 50 of his best works      

Guided Tour: Changing the Guard at Buckingham PalaceGuided Tour: Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Watch the soldiers marching after forming up outside St James's Palace      

Winston Churchill & London in World War II Walking TourWinston Churchill & London in World War II Walking Tour

A walking tour around the London locations associated with Winston Churchill during WW2      

Tower of London & Tower Bridge Early-Access TourTower of London & Tower Bridge Early-Access Tour

Get up early and see the Yeoman Warders' opening ceremony at the Tower of London      

World War 2 Westminster Tour + Churchill War RoomsWorld War 2 Westminster Tour + Churchill War Rooms

Visit Westminster's WW2 sites and Winston Churchill's underground war rooms