Schools Pre-visit Information IWM Duxford

Pay in advance of your visit:
A single payment for the whole group can be made using a credit/debit card by telephoning our Customer Services team Monday to Friday 10:00 to 16:00 on 020 7416 5399. Please note once payment has been taken, the group numbers cannot be reduced, the date cannot be changed and payment cannot be refunded. We do not accept cheques sent in advance.

Pay on arrival:
A single payment for the whole group can be made on arrival at the admissions desk by the group leader. All members of party must arrive and enter the museum together as one group. Payment can be made by credit/debit card or school cheque payable to ‘Imperial War Museum.’
Groups will not be admitted until payment has been made in full.

Multiple date visits: If you are visiting on two or more separate dates please bring payment on the day of each visit as we are not able to process payment for future visit dates.

Visiting us by car and coach
IWM Duxford is south of Cambridge at Junction 10 of the M11 motorway, less than 50 miles from Central London and approximately 40 minutes from the M25 Junction 27. Post code for sat nav: CB22 4QR.
IWM Duxford is easily accessible from the A1, A14, M1 and the North, via the M11. There is free parking. 

Visiting us by train
IWM Duxford is accessible by public transport. Please visit the National Rail websites for further details.
Nearest train stations
• Whittlesford
• Royston
• Cambridge
There are taxi ranks at both Royston and Cambridge stations. Whittlesford station is the closest to the museum but does not have a taxi rank, so please make sure you book a taxi in advance.

Visiting us by bus
On Sundays there is a direct Myalls 132 bus service from Cambridge to IWM Duxford. For further details, please visit their website.

• Go to the Schools Drop Off Point directly outside the Visitor Centre.
• Please wait until your specific arrival time to get off your coach.
• In case of early arrival, please remain on the coach until one of our Meet and Greet Volunteers has come to collect your group.
• A teacher must sign in at the Visitor Centre and provide a contact number in case of emergency.

We will take you to the bag room before you head to into the hangars – this room is not supervised so please take any valuables with you.

Please note that IWM Duxford is a large outdoor site. It is recommended that students keep their coats with them, dress for the weather conditions and wear sensible footwear. If you plan to eat your packed lunches outside in good weather then bags may also need to be carried so we advise students to bring the minimum necessary.

For safety reasons and to give children the best possible visit, all groups must follow the adult to child ratio in our Code of Conduct. We reserve the right to refuse admission to groups that do not meet the minimum ratio. 

• For Primary aged students, there should be one teacher per ten students (1:10 ratio). Primary-aged students are required to be always within sight of an accompanying adult whilst at an IWM branch.
• For Secondary-aged students, there should be one teacher per fifteen students (1:15 ratio). Secondary-aged students may explore IWM branches independently so long as their behaviour is sensible and they are within hearing distance of an accompanying adult.

Please note that IWM Duxford is a large site and an active airfield, so extra supervision is essential outdoors where aircraft and site vehicles are in use.

Please note, as a condition of your booking, your organisation will be liable for the cost of any damage to property resulting from reckless behaviour by members of your group, or from the negligence of responsible adults in regard to their supervision of the group. This property is not exclusive to, but includes, items in our collection or in our care (including large vehicles and aircraft), and those of our partners. It also includes buildings and other property belonging to IWM or our partners.

Some of IWM Duxford’s exhibitions are changing. In order to undertake this important work, we are beginning to relocate some objects and collection items. To find out what's open during your visit, check out What's Here.

As part of your visit you could explore:

• Hangar 1 - Highlights changes in design, technology and materials in aircraft construction and has a good selection of First and Second World War aeroplanes, post war jets, civilian aircraft and other forms of transport. 
• Hangar 4: Battle of Britain - See exhibitions linked to the air defence of Britain from the First World War to the Cold War. With a special focus on the Battle of Britain in particular.
• Historic Duxford: Second World War Spaces - Three historic rooms at IWM Duxford have been transformed to reflect how they would have appeared during the Second World War. The new Pilots' Briefing Room, Air Crew Room and Pilots' Locker Room spaces feature immersive recreations, newly acquired collection items and never-before-seen objects. The Operations Block transports you into the focal point of the Battle Of Britain, whilst Life On Base shares the stories of the men and women who served here. For schools wishing to visit the Operations Room as part of their visit, please be advised that capacity in this space is limited.
• American Air Museum  – the American Air Museum is a great place to support learning on Superpower Relations and Cold War, including Vietnam. The collection is also fantastic for those studying STEM subjects.
• Hangar 5: Conservation in Action - Chat to the team in our Conservation in Action hangar working to safeguard the history of our large museum objects, find out how we protect our objects for future generations to experience and enjoy. See our updated engine display with photos and film footage. Recommended for those studying STEM subjects.

Exhibitions may display material relating to the consequences of conflict. Teachers should consider what is age-appropriate for their students.

We have Visit Resources and Activity Sheets for primary and secondary school groups ready for you to print and download! We kindly ask that your students bring pencils to use within the museum rather than pens, to avoid any damage to exhibition spaces.

Download the IWM Duxford map for educational groups to help you plan your visit.

We have a Schools Eating Space located in Hangar 1, where you will be assigned a lunch slot shown on your Booking Confirmation.

Food and drink may only be consumed in the Schools Eating Space or outdoors.

Multiple schools use the lunchroom throughout the day, which has a capacity of 120 - please note you may be sharing the lunchroom with another school group. Please go to the lunchroom at your allotted time.

There is a café serving hot drinks and food throughout the day. Please note, IWM cafés are cashless, and therefore will not take cash as payment.

We have three water fountains to refill bottles positioned across the site:

• By the Playscape/Armoury Café.
• Between the Workshop Restaurant and Hangar 4.
• Between Hangar 5 and the American Air Museum.

• You are welcome to visit our museum shop located in the Visitor Centre, which is open throughout your visit and accepts both cash and card payments. You will be asked upon arrival if you plan to visit the Shop and when to ensure the space is not overcrowded. If you are interested in reserving Gift Bags to collect on the day, please let us know.
• Our museum shop offers a wide choice of books, clothing and accessories, posters, prints, stationary, souvenirs and gift ideas.
• For our younger visitors we have an exciting range of pocket money toys and souvenirs as well as a selection of children’s books. There are also educational resource material and replica printed items for sale.
• If you are interested in ordering Gift Bags to collect on the day, please contact Customer Services at [email protected] or on 0207 416 5000 in advance of your visit to add these to your booking. These cost £5 each and must be ordered and paid for in advance of your visit.

To make any changes to your booking or request specific information not available on our website, please contact our Customer Services team at [email protected] or on 0207 416 5000.