About a 45 minute train ride outside of London, you can visit the historic site of Bletchley Park.
This was the site of the British code breakers during WWII. The story of the people who worked here is really quite amazing. I always taught my students when I was a history teacher that the nerds are the ones who win the wars. Bletchley Park was the home to some of the most brilliant minds in England during WWII. These individuals may have been seen as nerdy, way too intellectual, or just plain weird to some people. After visiting Bletchley, it is very clear these people helped to save the world. They broke the codes used by the Germans and were absolutely instrumental in ending the war earlier and saving countless lives.
The grounds have been restored so a visitor can experience the site much as it was during the war. There are numerous buildings to tour. The facility is home to the machine used to break the Enigma Code: the seemingly unbreakable code the Germans were using during the war. It really is stunning to see a primitive computer that saved so many lives.
One surprising fact is that those who worked here were no allowed to speak of their work here – EVER. Their secrets were kept long after the war ended and only recently we are understanding what was accomplished here. It was impressive to say the least when you see what they were working with.
I love that many of the codebreakers were women. They were vital in breaking codes and were the unsung heroes for many years at Bletchley Park.
If you are looking for more information on Bletchley Park, their website offers tons of information, as well as opening times and special exhibits. This is definitely a not to be missed experience on any trip to England!
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