Clapham South: subterranean shelter

Explore over a mile of secret corridors and dormitories in one of the eight deep-level shelters that were built in London during the Second World War. Explore over a mile of secret corridors and dormitories in one of the eight deep-level shelters that were built in London during the Second World War. Opened in 1944, this secret underground maze was constructed to shelter over 8,000 people during air raids. Complete with a canteen, medical stations and sleeping quarters, it offered a safe haven in times of war – even though it’s completely hidden beneath the streets of South London. This guided tour takes you behind the closed doors of this top-secret site to reveal its fascinating story. Learn how it came to be built, how it served as a wartime shelter, and how it was repurposed in the post-war years—including housing Caribbean migrants to Britain who arrived on HMT Empire Windrush. Journey below a Tube station Descend 11 storeys underground and explore the mile of tunnels that are hidden beneath Clapham South station. Feel the rush of Northern line trains passing above your head and hear how it was secretly built in the 1940s. Expert guides bringing history to life Our two expert guides include one portraying a 1940s ARP Warden. Follow in the footsteps of a South London family spending their first night in the shelter, learn about the vital role these shelters played during the war, and discover what it was like to spend your night there. Wartime History Comes to Life Discover what the shelter looked like during wartime and step into newly refurbished spaces including the warden’s cabin and the canteen, carefully recreated to their 1940s state by our historical experts based on exclusive findings from our archives. Handle authentic Second World War artefacts Get hands-on with genuine Second World War torches, discover what an Anderson shelter looked like, and sit on the original bunk beds turned benches that families would spend their evenings on during air raids. Hear first-hand testimonials Listen to the stories of those who worked and sheltered there in the post-war years, including the first Caribbean migrants arriving on the Empire Windrush and the visitors of the Festival of Britain. Spot the graffiti left behind by those who stayed here and see the beds where many spent their first nights in London. Duration: 75 minutes Times: Weekdays 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 Weekends 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 Location: Meet in front of the Marks & Spencer Food Hall on Balham Hill, SW12 9EA Tickets*: Standard price: £39.00 / £36 concessions & children Summer price (22 July to 30 August): £34.13 / £31.50 concessions & children Why are prices temporarily reduced? Learn more > Age: This tour is open to guests aged 10 and over. Visitors aged 10 to 16 must be accompanied by an adult. London Transport Museum is a charity. Profits from your Hidden London ticket help us continue to conserve and share London’s transport and design heritage. *As well as your tour, the ticket price includes: These offers cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. This tour is a revamped, more engaging version of our previous Clapham South: Subterranean Shelter tour. It tells the story of the site in the most immersive way that we’ve offered on a Hidden London tour yet. It allows guests to further connect with the stories of those who worked and sheltered there over the years, and to experience the atmosphere of the site as it was in wartime as faithfully as possible.