About The Forties Experience
A unique, hands on, WW2 living history attraction located in Bushey, Hertfordshire at the site of the WW2 operational HQ of the USAAF 8th Fighter Command.
The Forties Experience Description
Next open day is Sunday 28th January 2018.
Open days are the last Sunday of the month (exc. December) from 10: 30 - 16: 00.
Admission: Adults £5, Children /OAPs £3, Under 4's Free
It's not just a museum - It's a living history experience!
What was once the WW2 operational headquarters of the United States Air Force 8th Fighter Command is today home to The 1940s Experience, a part of the Lincolnsfields Children's Centre, which is run by the Lincolnsfields Children's Charity. The 1940s Experience offers exciting, unique educational trips for both children and adults.
For children and young people we offer two study opportunities under our Children at War Evacuees Experience programme. These are group day visits for schools and, uniquely in the UK, 3-day residential visits; which allow pupils to fully experience some of the realities of being a child during the Second World War.
The adult and family programme centres around the regular Open Day events at the Centre on the last Sunday of every month (except December) and pre-booked private group visits for party bookings. There are lots of hands-on activities for the whole family to enjoy. We offer education, nostalgia and fun!
Big or small, young or old we cater to all - whether you're looking for a trip down memory lane; to experience parents or grandparents stories of their life during the war; or to learn about an important part of our country's history in a fun, hands on way.
Reviews
WHAT IS IT?
Here's another picture for you to guess. Leave your guesses in the comments and we'll reveal the answer tomorrow.
Good luck!
Two of our newest displays showcase gas masks and Air Raid Precautions. You can find the gas masks display in the Morrison Shelter room and the ARP display in our entrance foyer.
Well done to Elizabeth Hunt and Marc C Black for correctly guessing that it was a fox fur. You can find this fox fur in the 1940s bedroom.
We'll post another picture for you to guess on Thursday.
WHAT IS IT?
Here's another picture for you to guess. Leave your guesses in the comments and we'll reveal the answer tomorrow.
Good luck!
ONE WEEK to go until our public open day on Sunday 24th February. Come and see our 1940s rooms and play with our collection of 1940s toys and games. Visit our military museum and take a ride on our jeep. Experience our guided tour of a bombed out street scene with our air raid warden.
It's not just a museum - it's a living history experience!
Well done to Caroline Bailey-Pearce, Alfred Gould, Wendy Barnes, Joanne Weston and Marc C Black for correctly guessing that it was a map printed on silk.
We'll post another picture for you to guess on Monday.
WHAT IS IT?
Here's another picture for you to guess. Leave your guesses in the comments and we'll reveal the answer tomorrow.
Good luck!
Pay a visit to our Military Museum and explore our collection of WWII artefacts, including displays on Women at War, army rations, GI brides, army nursing, Monte Camino, our SOE collection and much more.
You can also experience a ride in a WW2 Dodge weapons carrier, which runs between the Military Museum and the Blitz Experience.
No correct guesses this time but it was the Tower of Hanoi, which can be found in the toy and games room.
We'll post another picture for you to guess on Thursday.
WHAT IS IT?
Here's another picture for you to guess. Leave your guesses in the comments and we'll reveal the answer tomorrow.
Good luck!
TWO WEEKS to go until our public open day on Sunday 24th February. Come and see our 1940s rooms and play with our collection of 1940s toys and games. Visit our military museum and take a ride on our jeep. Experience our guided tour of a bombed out street scene with our air raid warden.
It's not just a museum - it's a living history experience!
Well done to Shirley Anne Williams, Joanne Weston, Wendy Barnes, Kathy Kelly and Alfred Gould for correctly guessing that it was a Meccano set. You can find our Meccano windmill in the 1940s living room.
We'll post another picture for you to guess on Monday.
WHAT IS IT?
Here's another picture for you to guess. Leave your guesses in the comments and we'll reveal the answer tomorrow.
Good luck!
In a world of smartphones and 24 hour news, we can, literally, have instant access to headlines from around the world in the palm of our hands. We can hear about and see events as they are unfolding in real time.
In our newsreel cinema, you can see how Pathé news played a role in providing information and giving updates on current events. Our newsreel plays on a loop for roughly 20 minutes so feel free to pop in at any time during your visit.
Well done to Marc C Black, Kathy Kelly and Joanne Weston for correctly guessing that it was a medal, with Marc C Black recognising it as the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States). You can find this item in the Bushey Hall History Room.
We'll post another picture for you to guess on Thursday.
WHAT IS IT?
Here's another picture for you to guess. Leave your guesses in the comments and we'll reveal the answer tomorrow.
Good luck!
THREE WEEKS to go until our public open day on Sunday 24th February. Come and see our 1940s rooms and play with our collection of 1940s toys and games. Visit our military museum and take a ride on our jeep. Experience our guided tour of a bombed out street scene with our air raid warden.
It's not just a museum - it's a living history experience!
Well done to Wendy Barnes, Maria Davies, Marc C Black and Alfred Gould for correctly guessing that it was part of our wooden rocking horse. You can find the rocking horse in the toy and games room.
We'll post another picture for you to guess on Monday.
WHAT IS IT?
Here's another picture for you to guess. Leave your guesses in the comments and we'll reveal the answer tomorrow.
Good luck!
What a fab morning a must see with lots to see and do and amazing knowledgable guides
We came to the open day today and really enjoyed our visit, everyone was friendly and helpful, brilliant exhibits and loved the bombed out street experience with the warden. Very well run event. Will definitely come to visit on another open day.
Superb place ..great people well worth visiting
Love it! Great place to visit! Lovely people to share their experiences with you. A must see!
It’s a great step back in time to a place our parents era
Great people and the food in the tuck shop soup was great!
Think we need to go back as didn’t see everything there was to see! Great fun too !!
It is a very good day out is worth the entrance fee and is worth going just to hear the stories from all the people that volunteer
I went originally on a school trip with my daughter and enjoyed it so much I brought the rest of the family to enjoy it too. The girls absolutely loved the Jeep ride, and the games room with all the toys and dressing up. The Mustangs were brilliant and I throughly enjoyed the music. All the volunteers were amazing and full of so many interesting facts that kept the kids riveted. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back when the tea dances are on. Fantastic day out and an eye opener for the kids - they don't know how luck they are these days. Many thanks for a great day out
I have been quite a few times with my husband, we love going there. My husband being much older than me, takes himself back to the 1940's when he goes there. We will be back again soon. Thank you
Highly recommended - fantastic displays of original memorabilia etc, and experts in each area to bring it to life. We spent about 2.5 hours looking around and then had lunch in the cafe.
Had a great time today , very informative staff . Thanks .
Great place would recommend it to all
Great day out for old and young alike, memories abound, for me much of the 40s and 50s house is what I remember as a lad. Dad was there, of course he lived through all this lot! A lot of hands on, the volunteers were fantastic too, quite knowledgeable about their subjects.
Fantastic experience for adults and children. Had a fab day
Fab I didn't even get to do everything and I was there for 4 hours. So much to see and do and the battle re-enactment was amazing!!!
Excellent and interesting place to visit. Really recommend as a place to visit for all of the family.
Cracking day out!
Will be back for more fun real soon :)
An amazing little parcel of history hidden in gorgeous surroundings.
The volunteers were all very friendly & knowledgeable, especially the lovely Ann who had us in stitches as she took us round the wonderful 1940's house.
A real eye opener as to the many things that we take for granted in modern day life.
Would definitely recommend!
A gem of a place to remind younger generations what our country has done for us!
A fun filled afternoon for all the family - great to get so hands on and lots of interesting and informed people to quiz. The boys loved it!
What a fab morning a must see with lots to see and do and amazing knowledgable guides
We came to the open day today and really enjoyed our visit, everyone was friendly and helpful, brilliant exhibits and loved the bombed out street experience with the warden. Very well run event. Will definitely come to visit on another open day.
Superb place ..great people well worth visiting
Love it! Great place to visit! Lovely people to share their experiences with you. A must see!
It’s a great step back in time to a place our parents era
Great people and the food in the tuck shop soup was great!
Think we need to go back as didn’t see everything there was to see! Great fun too !!
It is a very good day out is worth the entrance fee and is worth going just to hear the stories from all the people that volunteer
I went originally on a school trip with my daughter and enjoyed it so much I brought the rest of the family to enjoy it too. The girls absolutely loved the Jeep ride, and the games room with all the toys and dressing up. The Mustangs were brilliant and I throughly enjoyed the music. All the volunteers were amazing and full of so many interesting facts that kept the kids riveted. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back when the tea dances are on. Fantastic day out and an eye opener for the kids - they don't know how luck they are these days. Many thanks for a great day out
I have been quite a few times with my husband, we love going there. My husband being much older than me, takes himself back to the 1940's when he goes there. We will be back again soon. Thank you
Highly recommended - fantastic displays of original memorabilia etc, and experts in each area to bring it to life. We spent about 2.5 hours looking around and then had lunch in the cafe.
Had a great time today , very informative staff . Thanks .
Great place would recommend it to all
Great day out for old and young alike, memories abound, for me much of the 40s and 50s house is what I remember as a lad. Dad was there, of course he lived through all this lot! A lot of hands on, the volunteers were fantastic too, quite knowledgeable about their subjects.
Fantastic experience for adults and children. Had a fab day
Fab I didn't even get to do everything and I was there for 4 hours. So much to see and do and the battle re-enactment was amazing!!!
Excellent and interesting place to visit. Really recommend as a place to visit for all of the family.
Cracking day out!
Will be back for more fun real soon :)
An amazing little parcel of history hidden in gorgeous surroundings.
The volunteers were all very friendly & knowledgeable, especially the lovely Ann who had us in stitches as she took us round the wonderful 1940's house.
A real eye opener as to the many things that we take for granted in modern day life.
Would definitely recommend!
A gem of a place to remind younger generations what our country has done for us!
A fun filled afternoon for all the family - great to get so hands on and lots of interesting and informed people to quiz. The boys loved it!