Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum

One of the exciting things to do in London with the kids is to take them to Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. Here you will get an insight into the story of artillery and understand the role the Gunners have played in our history. There is a fascinating collection of artillery and you can learn about the Royal Arsenal itself and its buildings. The Royal Arsenal was regarded as one of the most important places in the world for munitions manufacture, a secret kept from the public until recently. A visit to Gunnery Hall, which has artillery from conflicts in the 20th century, including missiles and missile launchers, anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery, will explain how different weapons have been designed to work in particular conditions using the very latest technology at the time they were made. Experience the Field of Fire and learn about being a Gunner in wartime. Large screens show archive film and footage so you can hear and sense what anti-aircraft defending London in the Blitz sounded like and see the bombardment of the beaches in Normandy on the D-Day landings. Smoke and the noise of exploding bombs bring these experiences to life. Hear true accounts from former and serving Gunners, whose real-life experiences have been recorded as part of an oral history project. There are free self-guided tours for schools and also Enrichment Days that meet the needs of the aims of the national curriculum, involving team challenges for pupils, building confidence and learning new skills.