Happened to spot that this museum was open last Thursday, 17th October (well, we actually noted it on the previous day obviously, otherwise it would have been both a little academic and pointless) and so decided we should give it a go. We had been before, although unusually neither of us can recall when it was, other than to corroborate it was definitely before the museum revamp, which we had registered at the time was already in the planning stages. Also a little bit longer to get there than we remembered, but I suspect age has a more than a little to do with memory, don’t you know.
Anyway, we duly arrived and paid our admission fee. The first thing we should note is that the major restoration programme funded by the NHLF, Historic England and others helped to transform it from a derelict condition into a building which now has a sustainable future and award winning exhibition about the development and use of radar from the 1930’s, through WWII to the present day. The restoration took place in 2016/17 and it was unrecognisable from our previous visit. Although small, the transmitter block is cram packed with information and is staffed by knowledgeable and friendly staff that made the whole experience a delight. Difficult to overstate its impact on the war effort and astonishing to know that in a mere eighteen months (from the time of the first experiment) it had become the first fully operational Radar station in the world. The museum website has a wealth of detail (it can be found here), much of which is replicated in the museum – don’t let the website prove a substitute however, it merely prepares you for the delight of exploring the actual site!
Finished with a lovely coffee and cheese scone at the Boatyard on Bawdsey Quay (also much improved) and then, later, a late lunch at the Wilford Bridge.