During the Second World War London was targeted in an attempt to break the spirit of the nation. At the Britain at War Experience the dark days of the Blitz are re-created where it is possible to experience the sights, sounds and smells of wartime London, brought to life with amazing modern day special effects.
The Museum allows the visitor to experience the London underground air raid shelters which were used by the city population during the countless air raids of the 1940s.

With many exhibits, realistic special effects and memorabilia from London's wartime, the Britain at War Experience is a reminder of the days when Britain stood alone to face Hitler’s onslaught.                                    Even the war stopped for tea

Crossing London Bridge on our London sightseeing tour you will no doubt spot the HMS Belfast moored on the Thames. This is the only surviving big gun warship from the Second World War. HMS Belfast has nine decks to be explored, from the Captain's Bridge down to the huge engine rooms. At the time of her construction at the Harland and Wolfe shipyards (the same construction site as the Titanic) the HMS Belfast was one of the most powerful light cruisers ever built. The ship saw active service in World War II where, even after being seriously damaged by a U-Boat, it carried on serving on military engagements until being decommissioned in the mid 1960s. HMS Belfast has been a popular London tourist attraction since opening to the public in 1971.  A visit offers the opportunity to discover the history of the ship and experience a little of how life was aboard a wartime vessel.

The London Dungeon combines history with horror sprinkled with a strong sense of fun and humour. It brings to life some gruesome events from the capital’s past and uses special effects and live actors to make scenes of torture, murder and plague highly realistic. Visitors are advised to be constantly wary as the unexpected is just around the next corner! There are theme park style rides, the newest of which is a gallows themed drop ride which kids love.
The Dungeon is situated directly opposite our London tour stop for London Bridge. You can buy fast-track tickets from our Big Bus staff to save waiting in the queue.

                                                                         Beat The Queues, Buy Your Ticket Online

Just a few minutes walk from our London Bridge stops 19 and 46 is one of London’s most unusual museums – The Bramah Museum of Tea and Coffee.

Situated at 40 Southwark Street in the old docks area where tea had been unloaded off ships for centuries, the Bramah Museum is unique in being the first museum in the world to devote itself entirely to the history of tea and coffee.

These two popular beverages arrived in Europe from Africa and the Far East over 400 years ago. You can hear stories of their social and commercial development and at the same time learn of Britain’s involvement in this trade. Britain was an important link in the tea and coffee trade between Europe and China, Africa, India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

One of the most famous trading companies, the East India Company, would unload its cargoes of tea in the London docks when returning from China. And it was not unusual to see Clipper sailing ships moored near London Bridge. The tea auctions were generally held north of the river, but this part of London boasted many prestigious warehouses.

In the Bramah Museum of Tea and Coffee there are prints, ceramics, metalware and displays to answer all your questions about this fascinating subject.

The Globe  is a reconstruction of Shakespeare's famed theatre which, thanks to the tenacity and vision of American film producer Sam Wanamaker, was finally opened in 1996. The Globe is a living theatre which provides the ideal setting for the plays to be performed as they would have been at the time of Queen Elizabeth I.  It has now established itself as a major London landmark and tourist attraction and can be visited for the permanent exhibition, or for performances at the open air theatre.
The audience is close to the action at the Globe theatre and it is important to remember that much of the theatre is open-air and appropriate dress is required as the shows continue come rain or shine!

Built at the location of original prison which became known as the Clink (thus introducing the slang term into the language), the Clink Prison museum offers the opportunity to see how life would have been in Tudor and Elizabethan times. On display are waxwork figures portraying many different types of prisoners to demonstrate just how tortuous and harsh life was as a prisoner in 17th Century London.
Many implements of torture are on show and all were used, often regardless of the severity of the crime. Women and children were tortured too. The museum features interactive audio and video presentations and on hand are helpful guides to make your stay 'inside' as informative as possible.

This building has attained huge acclaim and popularity since it opened in 2000. Previously a power station designed by George Gilbert Scott (also the designer of the red telephone box!), the building now houses a unique collection of art from the Tate collection. It focuses on modern art (i.e. art created since 1900) and is principally free with a charge for special exhibitions.
It has quickly become one of London’s most popular attractions and can be accessed from either this stop or our London Bridge stop 18 (Red) and 45 (Blue).