Bawdsey Radar Museum

About

Open Thursdays and Sundays, plus Bank Holiday Mondays, 11am-4pm (last entry at 3pm) until 2 November 2025. This award-winning museum charts the birthplace of modern radar, it was the first operational radar station station in the world and the exhibition is housed in the original 1937 building. The exhibition tells the story of the 'Invention that Changed the World'. It reveals how scientists, engineers and technicians came together at Bawdsey in the 1930s in total secrecy to prove that radio waves could locate aircraft, ships and other targets. Bawdsey became the world's first operational radar station in 1937 and played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain in 1940. The display features the lives of the people who developed the technology and the radar operators, mainly women (WAAFs), whose dedication helped to bring victory in WW2.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes