Ramsgate Tunnels — Attraction in Thanet

Ramsgate Tunnels offers a captivating journey through history, providing visitors with a unique and immersive experience. These underground passages, originally built as air raid shelters during World War II, have been transformed into a fascinating historical attraction.

Upon entering the tunnels, visitors are transported back in time as they explore the wartime remnants and learn about the role these underground spaces played in protecting residents during the Blitz. The knowledgeable guides contribute to the experience by sharing gripping stories and insights, adding depth to the historical narrative.

The attention to detail in preserving the authenticity of the tunnels is commendable, creating an atmosphere that truly reflects the challenges faced by the people seeking refuge in these underground shelters. The exhibits, including wartime artefacts and interactive displays, enhance the educational aspect of the tour.

One of the highlights is the immersive audio-visual presentations that vividly recreate the wartime era. The use of technology enhances the storytelling, making it engaging for visitors of all ages. The tunnels manage to strike a balance between being informative and entertaining, making it a memorable outing for both history enthusiasts and casual tourists.

Overall, Ramsgate Tunnels provides a thought-provoking and educational experience, shedding light on a crucial aspect of the town's history. Whether you're a history buff or just curious about the past, a visit to these tunnels offers a compelling journey...

Despite living in Kent all my life and even working at Ramsgate Train Engineering Depot for years, I hadn’t heard of the Ramsgate Tunnels and found it completely by accident! Having had a look inside at the publicly available museum which explains the history of the tunnels and its connection with the second world war, my partner and I booked a tour for a Sunday afternoon. With only a passing interest in the events of the second world war, I am as guilty as the next man in ignoring the local history of great events in favour of being distracted by more the famous moments celebrated in popular media. On arrival, we treated ourselves to some refreshments at the café in the entrance. Coffee, cheese scone and carrot cake… all very nice and just in time for the tour to begin. Ushered into a small mock-up of a period drawing room, we were presented with a short informative movie about the role that the tunnels took in protecting the population of Ramsgate during the war. Guides, Martin, and Luke, provided an excellent and detailed tour of the available tunnels, giving snippets of lived experiences, local history, and geographic information of where we were in relation to the town above. It is my shame that I hadn’t visited this attraction sooner, but I will certainly be back! Ramsgate Tunnels should be a source of local and international pride which should be celebrated widely and often. It is an absolute must if you are in the area and have even a passing interest in the second world war. I cannot recommend...

In small groups of up to 30 people, you get to learn about these wartime tunnels, and walk through them. The main downside is that it's just far too long - ours was 2 hours. There's a lot of standing around while the guide talks about things in huge detail that really you don't need to know, and which it's hard to take in. There were a few young children on our tour, and they must have been completely bored.

There's also a lot of just walking through the tunnels, and basically every bit of tunnel looks like every other bit. It's understandable that the guides talk at such length, because they're volunteers and are experts and passionate about the tunnels. It's just too long though. There is so much scope for bringing the whole subject to life somehow, so you could get a real feel for what it was like sheltering or even living in the tunnels during WW2.

Other things to be aware of are that there are no toilets on site, and no Wi-fi signal. I'd have thought both of these things could be provided.

It seems that these tours sell out quickly so it's important to pre-book online. There's paid parking just a couple of minutes away.

So overall, worth a visit if you have the time and are interested in a highly detailed history of the tunnels. Otherwise there's lots of information available in the waiting area, which you can browse for free without buying needing to...