Bletchly Park - worth a visit?

nw,

Bletchley Park is mostly devoted to the efforts in breaking the Enigma codes, rather than female WW-II spies. It's a fascinating story and you want to learn more about that, then Bletchley Park is definitely worth a visit. It's a large site so plan on spending at least a few hours there. There are displays of various Enigma and other code machines and a fully recreated version of the Bombe computer that was used to break the codes.

As I recall, there were some displays on female spies at the Imperial War Museum London but I can't recall too many details.

I took the day and went, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I actually missed a bit of it (National Computing Centre) because I ran out of time, but I can spend hours and hours in a museum, and your mileage may vary, as the saying goes.

The complex is several buildings, so weather can be a consideration, however it was a sunny autumn day when I went. There are recreations of what the facility was like, a main museum,and other smaller displays of various types.

A ticket is good for a year, so you could book in advance and choose a day when the weather is best, if you wanted. I went on a Friday, and had booked ahead for the afternoon tea they serve only Friday and Saturday.

I don't know if you've visited the website but here it is. https://bletchleypark.org.uk/

And in the time it took me to type this, as is pointed out, it's not about spies, but about the code breakers.

It is fascinating and very much worth the time. We spent most of a day, counting the time to get there and back. Your train tickets there can be used for the Days Out 2-4-1 offer, so if you want to use that be sure to print out the voucher ahead of time (or pick one up at a London train station that has the voucher booklets), and hold on to your train tickets. Instead of feeding them through the regular exit turnstiles. , use themanned one and explain that you want to keep your tickets.

https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/2for1-london

The tickets are indeed good for a year, so we are going back to Bletchley Park in March when we will be in London.

And if they still have the carrier pigeon exhibit be sure and see that; I think it is Hut 8 but you can ask.

There was a TV show about 4 of the women code breakers. It was set in London after the war. We plan on going during our trip in late April. It was called Bletchley Park

It can be a full-day trip if you read all the posted material and use the audio guide. If you want to see the (unrelated, separately ticketed) National Museum of Computing, you'd have to not dawdle.

I found the code-breaking site extremely interesting and didn't have time for the NMC.

Edited to add: Bletchley Park appears to have a 2-for-1 deal for those traveling by train. You'll need to hold on to your London-Bletchley ticket rather than putting it through the turnstile. Speak to a staffer in the station and he/she will allow you to keep the inbound ticket.

I forgot to say, but really need to add, that a number of the volunteers at Bletchley, grew up in the area during the time that the facility was active. I had a nice chat with a gentleman who recalled that everyone knew that something was going on there - how can you move that many people into a small town withoug anyone noticing - but of course "one didn't ask, there was a war on".

If the opportunity presents itself - I highly recommend chatting with some of the older volunteers.

I visited Bletchley last Sept, very easy and enjoyable trip from London. I spent about 3 hours there seeing the exhibits and huts—especially Turing’s office—exploring the grounds & Mansion and having a snack.

If you are going, consider watching the movie “The Imitation Game” about Alan Turing, and read up on the Enigma machine. It will enhance our visit.

What they did there was amazing, at a time when the future of the West hung by a thread.

nw,

If you decide to visit Bletchley Park and want to do some pre-reading about it, there's a lot of good information available. There were a number of notable people involved in the effort besides Turing. If you're interested, this provides information on one of the other significant contributors - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXZNayEPFKc . The work done at Bletchley Park was expedited by the efforts of Polish codebreakers during the 1930's, as they had made significant progress in breaking the codes. There's also a Bletchley Park connection to the Dieppe raid of August 1942, which involved none other than Ian Fleming.

I really enjoyed my trip to Bletchley Park last April. It is very easy to access by rail from London with less than a 5 minute walk from the station. I signed up for a tour once I got there which was quite well done and informative. The cafeteria onsite offers a variety of choices and is convenient.

I visited Bletchley Park last November, and was very glad that I did. I got there shortly after they opened and didn't leave until at least mid-afternoon. I had lunch in their cafe, which was good.

But, it's not really about WWII spies! It's about the staggeringly tedious and labor-intensive work of code-breaking in the pre-computer world, with literally thousands of lives at stake all the time. In a top-secret facility that was kept secret long after the war was won.

I think if you go with the idea you'll be seeing a lot of stuff about spycraft, you'll be disappointed. But if you get that it's not about spies but about code-breaking, you'll probably like it.

Thanks so much everyone. My husband is a general history buff and my Mum was an english war bride. I think this is going to be a great day trip!!!

You'll love it.

The Imperial War Museum in London is also excellent; I've made so many visits I've lost track of how long it took me to see the whole thing. I'm female and have zero interest in looking at war materiel (of which the museum has quite a lot), but I love learning about 20th century history, and the museum is excellent for that. One tip is that there's massive overlap between the audio guide and the posted explanatory material. You really don't need to use both. Audio-learners will like the audio guide (for which there is a fee); readers can just read the signage.

By comparison, the Churchill War Rooms are not as interesting unless you plan to dig into the Churchill Museum section (which is excellent). The rest of the place has only a tiny percentage of the coverage you'll find at the IWM, and the entrance charge is much higher than the suggested donation at the IWM. Another difference is that the overwhelming popularity of the war rooms (due to a recent movie, I believe) means you really need to buy your ticket in advance and will be locked into a specific starting time.

London Walks has a few walks related to wartime activities. The schedule through October is currently posted. The fall 2019 schedule will show up later. I'm sure the time of day and day of week on which an individual tour is offered change with each schedule update, but if you're interested you can get an idea from this year's schedule of what might be available and at what frequency.

If you’re into code-breaking, you should enjoy it. We had a car when we stopped and found it worthwhile. Believe we spent 2-3 hours there before moving on to out next destination.

The female element in the code-breaking operations adds to the place's intrigue The establishment was not run according to military procedures and many of the workers were not in any of the services. They were allowed to mingle, as long as specific duties were not discussed. Many did not know the big picture anyhow. Yet the women knew they were contributing to the war effort well beyond the routines held down by females in the cities. They also swore the War Measures Act requiring strict silence for 50 years and they meant it. One reason Bletchley is a fairly new attraction is that the code-breakers said nothing to anyone -- not their families, not historians -- for half a century, and so public attention was relatively late arriving.
I have tried but failed to find a schedule for the demonstrations of La Bombe, the giant mechanical brain that Silicone Valley considers an ancestor of the computer. It is bound to be a highlight if it is operating. Perhaps other visitors know more. Here is a very amateur video (not by me, I promise) of what you might see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr1U7Bva6Sw

Another vote for the Imperial War Museum.

The stories of what female SOE agents did during World War Ii are extraordinary. The life expectancy of radio operators in Paris and elsewhere in France was short. But except for a few shrines, there is little in the UK honoring their service. Your best bet might be the Imperial War Museum. I can remember seeing there in 2017 an exhibit on the SOE, but it might have been a special, temporary exhibit.

Richard's post has reminded me that I stumbled on a small S.O.E. monument on Lambeth Palace Rd., on the South Bank--between Westminster Bridge and Lambeth Bridge--this year. It depicts Violette Szabo, one of those who lost their lives in France [Nick's right--arrested in France and killed at Ravensbruck]. I've linked to the Atlas Obscura write-up, but Googling SOE monument London will return lots of hits. I thought it was interesting that the monument depicted a woman (that's why I noticed it), and a specific one at that.

To be a little pedantic, Szabo GC was tortured and then murdered by the Germans at Ravensbruck rather than being killed in France. There is a fine biography and a film broadly based on her SOE life, both called "Carve Her Name With Pride".

Thanks, Nick. Sloppy writing on my part, now corrected.

TCM has shown "Carve Her Name with Pride" in the US. I watched the movie a long time ago and enjoyed it but didn't remember Ms. Szabo's name.

Thanks so much everyone. Wow - such terrific information. I did find the movie at the library and have requested it. My trip isn't until next year but I am getting very excited about it. Jan

I'm so happy to see the SOE recognized. There is also a plaque to the SOE in the inner cloister of Westminster Abbey.