Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre
Volunteer-run visitor centre in original RAF Woodhall Spa buildings telling the story of the airmen and local people of wartime Lincolnshire.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Thorpe Camp occupies part of No. 1 Communal Site of RAF Woodhall Spa, which was built in 1940 to house airmen based at the nearby airfield. Many of the original single-storey wartime huts survive and are used for the displays.
The airfield was home to several bomber squadrons during the Second World War, including 97, 619, 617 (the Dambusters) and 627 Squadrons. The Thorpe Camp Preservation Group opened the visitor centre in 1988 to commemorate the crews who flew from the airfield and the people who supported them.
Today the centre is run by volunteers. Its displays cover civilian life in 1940s Lincolnshire, the Women’s Land Army, the Home Guard, prisoners of war, the Arnhem story, the Air Training Corps, the Cold War and early aviation in the First World War. Visitors can also try a Tornado F3 mission simulator and see a Lightning aircraft exhibit, the Lancaster Hut and a memorial. A shop and canteen in wartime style are on site.
Highlights
- Original RAF Woodhall Spa wartime huts
- Displays on 97, 617, 619 and 627 Squadrons
- Tornado F3 mission simulator
- Lightning aircraft exhibit and Lancaster Hut
- Wartime-style canteen and shop
- Founded
- 1988
- Operated by
- Thorpe Camp Preservation Group
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £7 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Children under 12 are free. |
Serving military personnel are admitted free with ID.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- 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
Many of the original buildings are used and all are at ground level. Wheelchairs and a walking frame can be borrowed free of charge. The cafe and shop can be reached without steps, and volunteers are on hand to help. Free parking is on the grass in front of the centre.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 2.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 11 |
Children under 12 are free. The Tornado F3 mission simulator is a hands-on attraction.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus No 5 from Lincoln to Boston stops near the entrance, about every hour, with wheelchair access.
By car
Free parking
Free parking on the large grassed area in front of the visitor centre. On busy weekends extra parking is available in a nearby field.
On the B1192 between Woodhall Spa and Coningsby. The nearest bus stop is about 300 yards away; the road has a narrow pavement on one side only.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Wartime-style NAAFI canteen (listed as the Spitfire Tea Room) and a wartime-style shop.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | The centre suggests allowing two to three hours for a visit. |
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