National Memorial Arboretum

[looselegs]

Has anybody been?
Would love to take my kids-15 and 10-youngest is doing WW2 at school- and I also think it does them good to realise how many people sacrificed their lives so we could live in a free country.
Thanks x

Yes, we went as a family last June. It's a fascinating day out. Grandad was desperate to take the DC. There is a 20 minute talk in the chapel that is a 'must' to put the whole place in context. A guide book is a must too. We found the guided train ride very informative and made us realise how vast the place is and where we would concentrate our attention. Some stunning architecture, amazing history and very moving.

thank you breward-i can imagine it being very emotional-but will definitely go now xxx

If the children are interested in ww2, a new memorial to evacuees has been erected this year. Also just outside the chapel is a garden dedicated to all children affected by war. The Anne Frank tree is central to the garden. It blossoms each year and on her birthday in June every bit of blossom is cut off, this symbolises her life that was cut short and never allowed to blossom.

The Thai railway exhibition is fascinating too. They brought back some of the stain glass windows from the pow camp's chapel. In some of the stain glass there are secret propaganda messages to life the spirits of the pow's. This is told through video stories of the survivors.

There are a few parts of the site that are undercover but the vast majority is outside. Try to choose a good day!