The first thing to note is that the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) is not a museum, per se.
The IBCC describes itself as “a world-class facility to serve as a point for recognition, remembrance and reconciliation for Bomber Command. Providing the most comprehensive record of the Command in the world, the IBCC ensures that generations to come can learn of their vital role in protecting the freedom we enjoy today.”
The IBCC was established for “Recognition, remembrance and reconciliation”.
So, what does that mean when you visit the IBCC?
The grounds of the IBCC contain the Chadwick Centre – named after Roy Chadwick, designer of the Avro Lancaster bomber – the memorial Spire and Wall of Names, and the Peace Garden. Upon entry, visitors are invited to join a free 50-minute tour of the site.
The Chadwick Centre contains a two-floor museum, archive, café and shop. However, that museum may not be what you expect. For example, what references are drawn to mind when we think of the RAF’s Bomber Command? Depending perhaps on your school history lessons and politico-cultural leanings, we may immediately recall the 1943 Dambusters Raid, the 1943 firestorm in Hamburg, the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz in 1944 or the 1945 devastation of Dresden.
On the ground floor, the museum focuses on the human stories of those that made up Bomber Command. Visitors can start in a mini theatre with four three-minute rolling videos that detail how bomber crews were recruited from all around the world and trained for their missions. As we move into the main room, we follow “a day in the life” and are introduced to holograms of different air and ground crew members (acted by local students) talking about their lives and experiences. The centrepiece of the main room is a 10-minute overlay of a map of Europe that lights up Allied and Axis bombing missions across the continent, the intensity of the colours and brightness increasing over Germany as we approach May 1945.
The focus on human stories continues upstairs as we shift from RAF crews to civilians; considering daily life, air raids, the evacuation of children to the countryside, and resistance movements across Europe. The second floor also recounts the portrayal of Bomber Command in popular culture before presenting how the International Bomber Command Centre was conceived and what the future of warfare may look like.
Unlike many museums that would highlight well known stories – perhaps myths and legends – only a handful of operations are named in the museum:
With Lincolnshire known as ‘Bomber County’ during World War Two, in the Peace Garden, 27 lime trees represent the county’s air stations of 1 and 5 Groups of Bomber Command. In total, Lincolnshire was home to 49 airfields during the war. The striking Spire memorial (pictured at top) is the tallest in the UK and, at 31 metres, is as tall as a Lancaster bomber’s wingspan. Particularly poignant is the silhouette sculpture of an air crew overlooking the city and cathedral.
There is also a permanent Bomber Command exhibition at the RAF Museum in London.
In all, an attentive visitor (not taking the guided tour) will spend an hour and a half in the museum and grounds. In terms of accessibility, a lift is available to the second floor of the Chadwick Centre and a path navigates through the Peace Garden to the Spire memorial.
International Bomber Command Centre
Address – Canwick Avenue, Lincoln, LN4 2HQ, UK
Website – https://internationalbcc.co.uk/
Opening times – 9.30am-5pm (4pm in winter) every day except Monday
Prices (online) – Adults £9.50; Children aged 5-18 £6.00; Families £26.50
Prices (in person) – Adults £10.50; Children aged 5-18 £5.00; Families £30.00
Various concessions are available
Plenty of parking is available onsite at a cost of £3.00 per vehicle.
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David developed an interest in military history in his teens, which led him naturally to War Studies at King’s College, London. His professional life involves delivering data and marketing consultancy across the education sector, and beyond that he was Marketing Officer for the Salisbury Military History Society for five years and has provided support to a range of heritage institutions including the Rifles (Berkshire & Wiltshire) Museum, Royal Artillery Museum and Army Flying Museum. He enjoys exploring new ways to tell stories and engage with audiences.
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Salisbury Military History Society
The Rifles (Berkshire & Wiltshire) Museum
Royal Artillery Museum
Army Flying Museum