The idea of dedicating trees to those who have died in terrible circumstances is wonderful. The road train on a wet afternoon with it's clear narration was very good.

Great place to visit. I was there when The Queen was there opening a new momorial.
Very busy with people, however you could walk anywhere and still manage to get quiet moments. Very thought revoking tranquil place. certainly worth a visit.

It was a cold , windy day when we visited and the location was exposed. Next time we will choose a better day to visit.
I can imagine it would be different in summer and a great place to spend a peaceful day
There was a lot of construction going on too so not very peaceful .
I assume that it was in preparation for the visit of the Queen which took place this week.

Anyone who visits the National Memorial Arboretum will come away with a feeling of some sadness but also knowing that sacrifices made on their behalf gives such a feeling of being so grateful. The grounds are beautiful and the memorial itself makes you feel very humbled.

My thanks to all involved in this most AMAZING Arboretum. As veteran. My visit was emotional, and full of gratitude to the multitude of volunteers, that put their Hearts into their efforts.

Came here 18/05/16 as the queen was unveiling a statute for the fallen for 2 Lancs and have to say the staff where friendly and very helpful , I for one think it's a fitting tribute to the fallen - Well done to all that work their and have put time and effort into making it what it is 👌

I have visited on a couple of occasions and it's difficult not to be moved.
Although only a small area, the Japanese POW section is stunning with the artefacts. It is quite poignant as my grandfather fought the Japanese Imperial army in Burma and although he was not taken as a POW, the thought of what happened to others was extremely emotional.

Set in acres of land just outside the beautiful village of Alrewas (a bias local!), this memorial is simply a must see attraction when visiting England. Dedicated to the many servicemen and women who have lost their lives in service.

The memorials themselves, of which there are many, are spaced out through out the gardens and walkways, trees and water that the location houses. Sometimes haunting, these creative sculptures are a permanent reminder of those people who have died to protect others. Regardless of your opinion on the armed forces or military etc, this place is still a wonderful haven for architecture and wildlife, with set walking trails you can follow.

It's free to enter at the time of posting this it's £3 to park,

Went there for a memorial dedication service to the Queens Regiment. The place is far bigger than I imagined. Walked around and looked at several other memorials, its a fantastic place, peaceful, respectful and moving. Well worth a visit, but remember the main memorial is closed for refurbishment. Only criticism - why dont dog owners clean up afterwards? Dog fouling behind the main memorial disgusting and disrespectful.

It gives you a feeling of thanks to all the service people ,who gave their lives for today..Highly recommend a visit

Firstly the most disappointing thing is that there was no memorial to the Aden conflict , which my husband took part in and which he wanted to visit . Secondly the main armed forces memorial where we hoped to see the names
of his lost comrades was closed . Thirdly if we had known that the land train cost £5 each we would have been less generous with the entry donation ! An expensive short visit for pensioners

We live in north Staffordshire, but have never taken the time to visit the arboretum, despite having family members who served in the military, and having been a cadet instructor for a considerable time.
Whilst staying at the caravan and camping club at Conkers we decided, or should I say I decided, and dragged the wife along for a visit.
Parking is a three pound donation, and whilst entry to the site is free, they do suggest a further donation of £5 per visitor. When you see the size of the site, and also think of the sacrifice of those represented there I think that is most reasonable.
There is a land train if you struggle to get round the vast site, but if you can walk and soak up the numerous memorials, set in lovely surroundings with loads of wildlife, which included Oyster Catchers, Jays, Goldfinch, Heron and much more.
The staff couldn't be more helpful including a gentlemen the who was working in the Special Forces gardens. He took time to identify plants to us, chat and explain about the sculpture in honour of the troops who took part in the landing and securing of Pegasus bridge during World War 2. The funds have yet to raised fir the full scale sculpture.
It was clear he found solace in the garden and showed great passion for the design and development of his garden, and the personal touches he applied to it, which included the placement of reeds around a bench shaped like a canoe in memory of the Cockleshell Heroes. This made the canoe appear as though it was within a river bank.
It is clear this passion is carried through all the gardens and memorials.
You don't have to be a military history enthusiast, or have a reason to visit, just come and absorb the day, and the great setting. Even the wife agreed in the end.
Food was reasonably priced with two cafeteria for drinks, snacks or a full meal.
The main memorial was out of commission due to building work, but I think a revisit will be on the cards.

A lovely quiet, peaceful place.

The grounds are very well kept and they are extending the visitor centre at the moment which is looking very impressive.

There is also a restaurant where we had a lovely meal but you can also have snacks. Would recommend the roast dinner.

Spent a whole day here and still did not see everything. Going to do a return visit next year. Staff helpful and informative. Would really like to bring the grandchildren.

Some facts.

Centrally located. Car park is £3. It is free to go in BUT a voluntary donation of £5 is generally the norm.

The site covers over 150 acres so be prepared for a long day ! . There is a small passenger train to get about the site at £5.

There are eating facilities etc. These are being updated and a new visitors centre will open in Oct/Nov. The Armed Forces memorial is currently under maintenance and will reopen in Oct/Nov.

So the Arboretum. This is a beautifully maintained site that has over 300 memorials dotted about the 150 acres. The big brown bear was the first. I loved the Royal Navy with its bright "sails". The Burma Railway exhibition is very harrowing but a must see. You can view the Twin Towers memorial, The RAF is striking.

There is not enough room here to describe everything. This is a visit that provokes many thoughts, reactions, and the wretched evils of war.

Do go and Remember Them , you will not be disappointed.

I think everyone should visit the National Memorial Arboretum. It is a beautiful, thought provoking place. A huge amount of thought has gone into the design of each of the memorial areas. For example, in the area devoted to the limbless, all the fruit trees have been selected so that they will produce blossom and fruit within easy reach so that those using wheelchairs etc can smell the blossom and sample the produce. The site is huge and it is worth taking the land train to get your bearings and listen to the commentary. A very moving experience. We shall no doubt visit again to see how the site has developed as the tree and shrubs grow towards maturity.

So glad our friends took us here whilst we were visiting them. It's a beautiful way of commemorating our forces. Such care has been taken in lay out and is maintained to an excellent standard by extremely hardworking volunteers. A must to visit for all ages.

This is a really lovely place. Its so well mantained . the memorials are beautiful from all different country's. Went on the little train and was told what the memorials were. Then we walked round. I like the RAF one and the big brown bear one. Really interesting place and no charge to go in but donations welcome .

We visited the Arboretum to search for a plaque/bench for our fathers RAF 75 New Zealand Squadron and was amazed at just how many and varied the memorials are. Unfortunately the main, large, Armed Forces Memorial is undergoing some alterations until November 2016, so we couldn't walk round that one but there are plenty of other things to see. All the staff were very knowledgeable & helpful and located the plaque we wanted to see. The land train (£5 per adult for 50 min tour) is a great way to travel around the site but if you get off you can't re-board. We found the land train useful as it prompted us to walk to other memorials relevant to our father-in-laws. There are memorials/gardens/plaques/benches to the RNLI, the Railway, the Police force, Boys Brigade, St Johns Ambulance, Still born & Neonatal memorial to name but a few. There really is something for everyone. We attended the Daily Act of Remembrance held at 11am in the chapel and a free 'Family Tree' talk, that happen to be on the day we visited! You need to wear comfy shoes as there is a lot of walking - guided walking tours run a couple of times a day or you can have a 40min guided tour in a buggy for £5. As we live quite a long way away from the Arboretum we wanted to make the most of our day, so we spent about 6 hours in the grounds but could have stayed longer!

Use the land train to get your bearings before walking to your chosen places. Very helpful volunteers on hand to help with any questions.
Only negative- not many places to shelter if the rain comes. Need a big umbrella.

We have visited a few times now , whether you have lost a dear one or not, it is a very emotional place ,the grounds are looked after with great care , the monuments, and we still haven't visited all of them yet, are pieces of art in them selves, just to see the names on the wall makes you appreciate the sacrifice people have given to let us live as we do,
A must place to visit , but be prepared to be emotionally moved as you walk round

Constantly being expanded and improved, the NMA is a place everyone should visit.
There are fantastic walks amongst the trees and memorials, with a real feeling of purpose and dignity and the new visitors centre due to open this year will offer even more experiences.
There are a selection of eateries on site with a range of good quality foods and refreshments. Help is always available from uniformed volunteers and a weatherproof roadtrain is available to take visitors on a circuit of the site.
The catering staff are extremely helpful and friendly and I would recommend a visit.

Have visited several times. If friends come to visit us we take them and it is always a successful visit, then they bring other friends.

Work in Progress were invited to the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) on 19th April 2016 to see how accessible the place is for young people and children. Here are a few points on what we really enjoyed and what we thought would be great for improving.

· It was a hugely enjoyable experience

· We learnt lots from the short amount of time we spent there and found the atmosphere to be perfect for reflection

· Plenty of opportunities to get some beautiful pictures, which is a photographer's dream

· We discovered the impact and realities of war. It was interesting to discover the sacrifices people made through the memorials that were dedicated to them. It was beautiful to see the detail in each memorial as they considered the factors that made each war/event unique and turned it into art

· There was something truly spiritual about the memorials which makes the NMA a place that promotes respect and empathy. It also allowed us the freedom to roam and explore its features in more detail

· One of the things that we would add to make the NMA more enticing to young audiences would be to include elements of activity and discovery challenges. This would help them to engage in the world's history from a fun and practical side

· It's a very beautiful place, filled with unique and interesting history

· Open and free to explore

· Very welcome and informative staff

· Great food, but it would have been better if there was an option for Halal food

· Reasonable price in shop and cafe

· Reasonable suggested donation

· We were fortunate enough to attend on a beautiful day, but because almost everything is outdoors it would be great to have a space for visitors to go if it starts to rain or get cold

Every single member of the team enjoyed their time at the NMA and would like to thank every NMA member of staff who made it a very memorable and pleasant day. Definitely a great place to visit either as an individual, with a family group or a group of friends – there is something for everyone.

Lovely place to visit, great day out for the family and the children especially really enjoyed themselves. Will definitely be returning here again soon. (Children are 2, 4 and 6 years old)