Carrière Wellington

About the museum

From November 1916 the British army prepared the spring 1917 offensive at Arras. New Zealand tunnelers linked the town’s medieval chalk quarries together. In just six months they created a network of underground barracks able to hold up to 24,000 soldiers, who waited for the assault in the greatest secrecy.

In the early 1990s, the town’s archaeologists explored the quarries southeast of Arras and rediscovered this forgotten role. The thousands of graffiti left by British soldiers show the strategic importance of this underground city during the Battle of Arras, which began on April 9, 1917.

The quarry opened to the public in 2008 with a guided and audio-guided route 20 meters deep, reached by lift. Since November 2021, an interpretation center and new scenography have made the underground route more immersive. The visit ends with the ascent to the surface, accompanied by a film about the battle.

Highlights

• Lift descent 20 meters below Arras
• Network of galleries that could house up to 24,000 soldiers before the Battle of Arras
• Graffiti scratched into the chalk by British soldiers
• Guided visit with audio guide and a 10-minute film
• Special options: the Personal Memory family visit and Graffiti Discovery

Permanent exhibitions

• Visite guidée de la carrière – Descent to 20 meters, discovery of the soldiers’ living spaces on the eve of the Battle of Arras, then a film about the assault of April 9, 1917.
• Graffiti Discovery – Visit devoted to the graffiti and written traces in chalk left by soldiers of the First World War and by Arras civilians during the Second World War.

Founded

2008

Admission & discounts

Prices for the standard guided visit are shown when booking online. Payment by holiday vouchers accepted. Private visits are also available.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Site accessible to people with reduced mobility, with a lift descent; induction loop. Dogs are not allowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The Personal Memory visit is designed for families: a guide in period uniform recounts the days before the Battle of Arras (duration 1 hour, warm clothing advised).

Getting there & parking

Two entrances: avenue Fernand Lobbedez or rue Arthur Delétoille. By car, follow the Carrière Wellington signs from the A1 (exit 5 from Paris, exit 16 from Lille) or the A26 (exit 7).

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi on site. Tourist information point and shop (books, postcards, merchandise). Thompson room for school groups’ picnics, by reservation.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit