Visitors Return to Historic Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes has welcomed hundreds of visitors since reopening on Saturday 4 July. The epicentre of World War Two codebreaking and the British wartime intelligence hub, now an independent museum and heritage site, has new safety measures in place, and all visitors must now pre-book a timed entry slot online.
Iain Standen, CEO of Bletchley Park Trust said: ‘It has been great to see visitors return to Bletchley Park. We’ve had brilliant feedback from visitors on our safety measures and comments on how nice it has been just to get out and about. Bletchley Park is one of those places people often say they mean to visit, and now with our reduced capacity, it is perhaps the perfect opportunity to come along without the usual summer crowds.
‘Safety is paramount, but as an independent charity and museum, our closure and reduced capacity are having a significant impact on our finances. Every penny people can spend here will help us continue to tell the story of the ground-breaking achievements that happened here, and protect this special place for future generations.’
One visitor said: ‘We were looking forward to our first family outing after months in our flat with limited time outside. I have been to Bletchley Park before and love the atmosphere and the historic importance of the site. It was my husband’s first visit, and our first family picnic, with our infant son. I enjoyed every minute of it.’
Another said: ‘We felt OK about visiting as we had seen online all the safety measures that were put in place and were happy to book a time slot for our own well-being. We arrived a bit early to ensure we were ready and were met by really helpful, happy, friendly staff and told all the precautions and measures to follow. We were able to take our time and enjoy hours looking around all that Bletchley Park has to offer because it has been so well set out and executed with safety guidelines.’
To celebrate reopening, the historic site’s visitor centre has been decorated with homemade red, white and blue bunting donated by craft-enthusiasts from across the UK as part of its ‘Bunting for Bletchley’ campaign, an initiative to help people keep busy during lockdown and show their support of Bletchley Park.
Local residents who live within a 10-mile radius of Bletchley Park can enjoy 50% off general admission tickets which also act as an Annual Season Pass, giving visitors unlimited free returns within a year (pre-booking essential). Under 12s visit free and two discounted family tickets are available, one for two adults and two children (aged 12-17), and one for one adult and two children (aged 12-17). Discounts also apply for English Heritage and Arts Pass holders. Full details on our website: bletchleypark.org.uk/visit-us/admission-prices.
New for 2020
- New exhibition Never Alone: What Happens When Everything is Connected? based on an exhibition created by the National Science and Media Museum, part of the Science Museum Group. Explore the impact of smart objects on our everyday life and their links to Bletchley Park’s wartime history.
- New food and drink offers – pick up a picnic or delicious freshly made waffles to enjoy in the spacious grounds.
- New discounted family ticket for single parent families.
Image courtesy of Bletchley Park Trust and Bureau for Visual Affairs