Royal Signals Museum

About

Dorset's Hidden Gem! From semaphore to high tech cyber space, and electronic warfare: discover the rapidly evolving story of the British Army’s dynamic cutting edge ...The Royal Signals.

Nestled in the beautiful countryside of North Dorset, in the attractive Edwardian town of Blandford Forum, this modern museum traces the history of the British Army’s battlefield communications experts from the introduction of the telegraph in the Crimea to the secretive story of cryptography and cyber warfare via espionage and satellites!

From the sudden flare of flaming torches and the menacing glint of sunlight on polished shields to the use of ever more sophisticated microcomputers and satellite communications, the story of military communications is as dramatic and exciting as the history of war itself.

To win battles, commanders have to command and control their men and equipment while ensuring that the enemy cannot intercept their messages.  Through a series of interactive displays discover how military communications progressed from the use of torches and sunlight, through flags, the Semaphore and the Shutter Telegraph, to Morse code, the telephone and the wireless.  Then came the quantum leap of genius which led to the invention of the computer and successful decoding of the enemy’s Enigma and other codes used during World War Two - and beyond to the present time with encrypted Satellite Communications and Integrated Battlefield communications.

Have you ever wondered how secret agents were trained in WWII?  What was life like as a Secret Agent with the SOE in France and what equipment did you have to help you escape… if you were caught?  Ever wanted to have a go at sending Morse code messages?  Want to drive a simulator or break codes? Why were pigeons so important to the British Army? What was it like laying cables under fire on the front? What was Enigma - want to find out? 

Get behind the wire at the Dorset’s top secret Museum for a unique and fascinating Family day out featuring displays on the Secret Agents of the SOE, SAS & Special Forces, and Despatch Riders with many fun trails and activities aimed to keep the children happy and occupied.  The Museum also highlights the role of Women at War.

A voyage of discovery through hands-on, family-friendly interactive displays: guide a laser beam, "direction find" the enemy, set up satellite networks, break codes, practice Morse more!

ADULTS MUST BRING PHOTO ID.