About HMS Belfast

HMS Belfast is a Town-class light cruiser built for the Royal Navy and now permanently moored on the River Thames as a museum ship, run by the Imperial War Museum. She was the first Royal Navy ship named after the capital of Northern Ireland and one of ten Town-class cruisers.

Work on her began in December 1936, and she was launched on Saint Patrick's Day 1938. Commissioned in early August 1939, just before the Second World War broke out, Belfast first served in the British naval blockade of Germany. Her long career is now told on board by the Imperial War Museum.

Highlights

• Launched on Saint Patrick's Day 1938
• Operated by the Imperial War Museum
• Permanently moored on the River Thames

• Indoor, good for rainy days

Details are checked against public sources including Wikidata and Wikipedia. Opening times and prices change, so please check the official website before you travel.