National Memorial Arboretum
Latest Reviews
Visited on Easter Monday, late afternoon. Very quiet. £3 to park.
Superb, spacious grounds. Very fitting and emotional tributes to our service men and women. Some beautiful statues and monuments.
The main area at the top is stunning. The walls are whispering walls so the children had fun there.
As it was Easter there wAs a Easter egg hunt for the children and a small petting farm with activities. It was all so child friendly!
Due to the bad weather some of the grounds were out of bounds due to extensive flooding.
All of this is totally free but you are encouraged to leave a donation but why wouldn’t you want to give something back to those who have gave so much to you?
Plenty of picnic areas and we will return in the summer months.
Superb, spacious grounds. Very fitting and emotional tributes to our service men and women. Some beautiful statues and monuments.
The main area at the top is stunning. The walls are whispering walls so the children had fun there.
As it was Easter there wAs a Easter egg hunt for the children and a small petting farm with activities. It was all so child friendly!
Due to the bad weather some of the grounds were out of bounds due to extensive flooding.
All of this is totally free but you are encouraged to leave a donation but why wouldn’t you want to give something back to those who have gave so much to you?
Plenty of picnic areas and we will return in the summer months.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The National Memorial Arboretum is a wonderful place to visit all year round. The memorials and gardens are many and growing each year.
As there were 6 of us we decided to book the tailor-made tour which cost £175 in total.
We arrived on the day for 11am start and greeted by our guide- Phil Nixon. Over coffee he explained how the day would pan out. This is a brief summary of the tour:- traveling around this vast but beautiful arboretum was by a 7 seater golf buggy ( blankets provided ). Phil would stop at various memorials giving us the history and story behind them. At 1pm a two course meal + drink was provided on a reserved table with waiter service. . I must add the meal was excellent.
We then continued with the tour until 4pm taking in most of the memorials of interest then returning to the restaurant for coffee and final summary by Phil.
To finish l would just l Iike to give a massive thanks on behalf of our party to Phil who proved to be extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.
As there were 6 of us we decided to book the tailor-made tour which cost £175 in total.
We arrived on the day for 11am start and greeted by our guide- Phil Nixon. Over coffee he explained how the day would pan out. This is a brief summary of the tour:- traveling around this vast but beautiful arboretum was by a 7 seater golf buggy ( blankets provided ). Phil would stop at various memorials giving us the history and story behind them. At 1pm a two course meal + drink was provided on a reserved table with waiter service. . I must add the meal was excellent.
We then continued with the tour until 4pm taking in most of the memorials of interest then returning to the restaurant for coffee and final summary by Phil.
To finish l would just l Iike to give a massive thanks on behalf of our party to Phil who proved to be extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The focus of the arboretum is the large hill top memorial to all British service personel lost in service snice the second world war. The rest of the park is full of smaller memorials dedicated to all sorts of military and non military groups. There is an amazing array of styles of memorial and it is a fascinating place to visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I visited the national memorial arboretum near alrewas with my friends. The first port of call was the FEPOW memorial building where there is a display of items made by the pows and a fairly graphic description of what the men and some women were put through during there capture it is a must place to visit and very emotional don’t miss it. The main memorial is truly amazing and also quite emotional to see all the names of some of the people who gave their life for their country. If you have got a limited time scale make the first two memorials a must it will take all day to see all the memorials on site but it can be very cold so you need to bear that in mind. We only managed a short visit as it was quite chilly the cafe is really nice and clean there are also several guided tours on offer not to costly and a train to take you around if your not too good on your feet
All in all a very emotional/educational and wonderful experience
It’s free to enter. There a car park across the road £3-00 all day
All in all a very emotional/educational and wonderful experience
It’s free to enter. There a car park across the road £3-00 all day
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Excellent memorial, lots to see and do, the armed forces memorial and the Royal Navy memorial areas were of significant interest.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A great place to visit in fantastic grounds. Plenty of space to walk around and accessible for all abilities and disabilities. Great restaurant facility. Guided tours excellent and knowledgeable volunteers. Small car park charge but free to enter so it's only fair to make a donation. Such a fabulous place to remember those who have given their lives so freely for us. Thank you and to those who give up their time freely to keep the National Arboretum going strong!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Our 3rd visit here was as moving as the first. As it was raining we did not walk outside. This time we paid for the exhibition inside. Very interesting and very moving. Staff are excellent.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
My daughter, who's 27, and myself visited NMA.
We are from a family of 'forces men and women' and I have an uncle that was lost after WW2 and my daughter sadly lost a very dear friend in the Afghan war in 2010 when he was only 19 so we were a little tentative about the visit and emotions etc.
I had looked at reviews prior to our visit and so was prepared and more than willing to pay the £3.00 parking fee unlike some on this website !!
The car park was easily accessible and clean, well laid out. The visitors centre also was very clean and well laid out.
NMA personnel were there to greet you and offer guidance and advice.
My daughter and myself decided we would not choose to go on the train as I had read that you don't get to see memorials close up which is what we wanted and the weather wasn't too good on the day.
We decided that we would walk to the memorials we wanted to see which was RAF (for my uncle) and Army for my daughter's friend and also my husband's side of the family which were coldstream guards.
The awe inspiring and enormity of the memorial wall in the centre of the Arboretum took your breath away and even more so when you got up close to read all the names of people killed in action since WW2. We both found the people we were looking for, I am now able to go home and tell my 80 year old mum that her brother who was killed in 1948 has his name on the wall of honour. She'll cry !!
The sad part of the wall of honour is that there is so much wall left for future names ......
We then walked around some of the other memorials ...prisoners of war, evacuated children, veterinary services, medical corps, guards and hussar's,parachute regiment, engineers to name a few.
Another one that was quite humbling was the 'killed at dawn' memorial...............
We finished our visit with cake and coffee at the well established cafe ..........lovely.
Definitely worth visiting the NMA and would recommend everyone visits at one point. Both my daughter and myself will definitely be visiting again.
We are from a family of 'forces men and women' and I have an uncle that was lost after WW2 and my daughter sadly lost a very dear friend in the Afghan war in 2010 when he was only 19 so we were a little tentative about the visit and emotions etc.
I had looked at reviews prior to our visit and so was prepared and more than willing to pay the £3.00 parking fee unlike some on this website !!
The car park was easily accessible and clean, well laid out. The visitors centre also was very clean and well laid out.
NMA personnel were there to greet you and offer guidance and advice.
My daughter and myself decided we would not choose to go on the train as I had read that you don't get to see memorials close up which is what we wanted and the weather wasn't too good on the day.
We decided that we would walk to the memorials we wanted to see which was RAF (for my uncle) and Army for my daughter's friend and also my husband's side of the family which were coldstream guards.
The awe inspiring and enormity of the memorial wall in the centre of the Arboretum took your breath away and even more so when you got up close to read all the names of people killed in action since WW2. We both found the people we were looking for, I am now able to go home and tell my 80 year old mum that her brother who was killed in 1948 has his name on the wall of honour. She'll cry !!
The sad part of the wall of honour is that there is so much wall left for future names ......
We then walked around some of the other memorials ...prisoners of war, evacuated children, veterinary services, medical corps, guards and hussar's,parachute regiment, engineers to name a few.
Another one that was quite humbling was the 'killed at dawn' memorial...............
We finished our visit with cake and coffee at the well established cafe ..........lovely.
Definitely worth visiting the NMA and would recommend everyone visits at one point. Both my daughter and myself will definitely be visiting again.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I stopped off at the NMA on a long cross west/east journey and really didn’t know what to expect. After a wholesome lunch in the restaurant I set out for a stroll around singling out the Naval Services Memorial and the Polish Memorial for my hour stay. I was completely overwhelmed by the memorials and the sense of dignity. The facilities are excellent too and all the staff helpful and courteous. Our country should be proud.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Fantastic place kept and so interesting. The volunteers were very knowledgeable and so helpful. The memorials were impressive and very well made.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The arboretum is really worth a visit very nice and peaceful,this is what happened to those brave men that lost their lives during the world wars and other conflicts,
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Wonderful, uplifting experience. Great idea not to charge admission fee - just £3 to park the car for all day. Grounds are beautifully kept and NO LITTER! Been a few times, both with my other half and with the family when they come to visit and we are never bored - so many memorials, so much history, and every time that we visit there are additional memorials to see. Only 1 gripe - restaurant is expensive for what is offered and as many people go there before leaving, we feel that this may have a negative impact on donating further - the donation boxes are positioned after you visit the restaurant.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We planned an hour to have a bit of a look around and ended up spending a very enjoyable 3 and a half hours meandering about and being educated by some very enthusiastic and pleasant volunteers. We'll be back. Highly recommended.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Been 2 times now and we will go again there is always something new to see, amazing tributes dogs are welcome £3 to park your car for the day free entrance £6 to ride on the audio train a bargain for the info the café has lovely food and cakes etc, the toilets and every where is immaculate. A lovely day out to honour them all, for families and couples and trips and what a way to educate your children about all our heroes, the paths are easy to walk on, highly recommend this place
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Give it a go. It isn’t a gloomy place at all. There are great open spaces to walk around and reflect on a number of groups represented there with a memorial which include non military groups as well.
The arboretum put on great displays and events so it’s worth checking out their events calendar. My favourite is the Christmas wreath making - a great way to start that Christmas feeling.
The arboretum put on great displays and events so it’s worth checking out their events calendar. My favourite is the Christmas wreath making - a great way to start that Christmas feeling.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Waited a long time to visit and it did not disappoint. Beautiful grounds and many memorials to see. Extremely moving.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Wonderful,reflective and emotional arboretum.
Words do it no justice compared to what you feel in your heart.
The Nation needs to wake up to the importance of this memorial
Words do it no justice compared to what you feel in your heart.
The Nation needs to wake up to the importance of this memorial
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Even though we are regular visitors, there is always something new to see at the National Memorial Arboretum. The grounds are impeccably maintained and beautifully planted to provide colour and interest throughout the year. Although the word “memorial” can evoke a sense of sadness, the sculptures and stones commemorate the people to whom they’re dedicated and their memory lives on. We saw the sculpture for evacuees for the first time - appropriately placed close by a children’s play area- and each of the figures are beautifully sculpted. The staff and volunteers are always on hand to advise and help you find your way to a particular memorial or to show you possible walks. There are also excellent facilities and well designed for access by disabled visitors.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A very moving place to visit. The train ride with excellent commentary is a great starting point. We then walked to see various memorials. The volunteers were very helpful. God value for money cafe - the soup was delicious. Interesting shop too! A peaceful place giving plenty of time for reflection!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
On the afternoon we visited the site had very few visitors and we enjoyed a walk round the site, stopping to look at the different memorials. The Christmas Truce and the Shot at Dawn were two of my personal highlights. Walking was all good on gravel paths.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This place has changed enormously since our last visit - the memorials and monuments are still moving and inspiring but the place over all is getting a bit like a theme park. The entrance and visitor centre is grand if now a bit impersonal and there are so many staff/ volunteers everywhere it almost feels intimidating. The train ride around the huge grounds was good As we visited when the weather was atrocious so we got to see more than we would have. There's so much new building going on the memorial we really wanted to see was hidden away by all the works - the Royal Engineer memorial is almost being excluded from the site - very disappointing.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Wonderful place to visit to reflect. So many areas and monuments to honour people who have given their lives for there country. Spent several hours here wondering around the monuments and gardens. Nice clean cafe for refreshments. They also do lovely memorial services for rememberance day
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Stunning site with lots of different memorials. Being an ex servicemen I found the whole experience very emotional
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Damp with a chilly wind was probably not the best weather for our first experience here. Also when we arrived they had lost electrify overnight so various facilities weren’t available. Entrancecis ftee although they do suggest a voluntary donation of £5 per adult. Nonetheless we decided we would look around.
We had already decided to take the land train, £6 each and this was the perfect way to see much of the site in 50 mins and help us decide where we wanted to get a closer look. The tour was very useful.
We then decided to look at the central memorial, for those who have died in active service since the end of WW2. The memorial is beautiful in its simplicity, so poignant.
We then returned to the visitors centre where the electric was back on and we had a sandwich lunch and looked around the shop which is full of beautiful items, lots of choices especially if, like me, you like the poppy. We made some purchases including a guide book.
We then went back outside to look at the memorial for the green jackets and for those who fought in the Korean War.
A beautiful place with a huge range of memorials. We will be back again.
We had already decided to take the land train, £6 each and this was the perfect way to see much of the site in 50 mins and help us decide where we wanted to get a closer look. The tour was very useful.
We then decided to look at the central memorial, for those who have died in active service since the end of WW2. The memorial is beautiful in its simplicity, so poignant.
We then returned to the visitors centre where the electric was back on and we had a sandwich lunch and looked around the shop which is full of beautiful items, lots of choices especially if, like me, you like the poppy. We made some purchases including a guide book.
We then went back outside to look at the memorial for the green jackets and for those who fought in the Korean War.
A beautiful place with a huge range of memorials. We will be back again.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I have visited the National Arboretum on a number of occasions now, the last being with my mother who is not too good on her feet.
My mother was able to go around and visit areas she wanted with the help of a cart that less able people can use, she was thrilled.
The arboretum is being added to all of the time and the large memorial is very thought inspiring.
It has a lovely cafe and a small shop and plenty of parking.
My mother was able to go around and visit areas she wanted with the help of a cart that less able people can use, she was thrilled.
The arboretum is being added to all of the time and the large memorial is very thought inspiring.
It has a lovely cafe and a small shop and plenty of parking.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
