Stockport Air Raid Shelters
With a National Art Pass you get
Experience a unique insight into Britain during World War II via the underground network of tunnels comprising the Stockport Air Raid Shelters.
Opened in 1939, Stockport Air Raid Shelters are the largest purpose-built civilian air raid shelters in the country. Carved into the natural sandstone beneath the town, these labyrinthine tunnels are nearly one mile long.
Originally designed to shelter 3,850 people, the network was extended to accommodate 6,500 citizens during the war, and during the Blitz they provided shelter and a way of life for families in and around Stockport.
Underground network
Explore the original tunnels, authentically re-equipped, which provide you with first-hand experience of daily life in 1940s wartime Britain. Displays in the tunnels and audio guides reveal what life was like on the Home Front, and particularly, the experiences of the local people who used the shelters.
'Luxury accomodation'
Dubbed the Chestergate Hotel to reflect the 'luxurious' standard of accommodation, Stockport Air Raid Shelters were fitted with electric lights, wooden benches, flushing toilets, bunk beds and first aid kits - preserved and recreated for visitors today.
Visitor information
Address
Stockport Air Raid Shelters, 65 Great Underbank, Stockport, Greater Manchester, SK1 1NE
0161 474 1940
Opening times
Tuesday to Friday: 1pm - 5pm
Saturday: 10am - 5pm
Sunday: 11am - 4pm
Exclusions and safety measures
For full visitor information please visit our website: www.stockport.gov.uk/museums
The more you see, the more we do.
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