I supposed I am prejudice being the founding Chairman of The Royal British Legion's flagship branch The National Memorial Arboretum National Branch. I like to consider myself as a stakeholder in its future promoting the NMA at every opportunity I can. I love to go there whenever I have time, just to sit in the beautiful setting and reflect amongst the memorials. Very peaceful and renewing.

Don't get me wrong, the memorials here are very artistic and moving and the grounds are pleasant if you like walking. There are fitting tributes to many fallen soldiers here and the place may be special to relatives of the people commemorated here.

BUT... I'm apprehensive about the feeling of this attraction becoming a bit of a theme park. I first came here in about 2003 when it was a bare field with some trees (as the name arboretum suggests) and a small museum and I thought this would go on to be a wonderful place of remembrance and reflection... fast forward 12 years and where the museum once stood there are shops and cafes selling overpriced generic tourist souvenirs and average food. There is a train/tractor thing going around the place (for £5 a ride of course!) and a ridiculous £3 flat parking fee. There is a the wonderful work of art that is the touching memorial to all members of the armed forces killed since World War 2 but there must be hundreds of memorials here for all sorts of things. I get what they are trying to do but many of these memorials don't make sense without some sort of context. There is a danger that they will just be seen as names on a pretty piece of stone which doesn't seem right.

Also, if you are disabled, you will find most of the site inaccessible anyway as there are only a few footpaths and you might miss out on the memorial that remembers all hamsters, gerbils and other small rodents that have died in service of the armed forces (there probably is one somewhere, there seems to be a memorial for everything else).

Is this a place of remembrance or a money spinning war-memorial themed tourist attraction? Is it something that started out with good intentions but got sucked into the tourist industry? The line is getting increasingly more blurry and, though I'd still recommend a visit so you can decide for yourself, I'm undecided.

Lovely peaceful place,has a very calming feel while you're there. Lovely to just stroll around next to the river & through the trees. The café is very relaxing, toilets very clean. Makes you thankful for the men & women who gave their lives for ours.

Went here for a quick visit. A friend of ours highly eecommended this place for a visit but we thought a place full of tress cannot be that interesting...right ? .... WRONG !
This place is fantastic. It is large, tranquil and full of many interesting memorials.
The place has no entry fee but parking is £3.00 a day.
On the day we visited it was raining so we opted to take the train. Cost was £5 but it was well worth it a very informative.
For me I was interested in the Falklands Conflict so we went back to those memorials after the train but none of the memorials are that far away.
The area called 'Shot at Dawn' is a very emotional place to visit.
At 11.00 each day there is a service in the chapel with a 2 mins silence.
The restaurant has lots of good food at reasonable prices.

Overall we spent £30 during our visit but this included parking, tea, cake and train plus donations.

Highly recommended

We have been a few times know, but I would still go again there are a lot of information to take in, and they are always adding more. The area you walk around is very well maintained, and easy to get around if you need an electric wheelchair you can use one of there's. When you have finished you might like to go to the cafe for a drink or light meal.

Definitely a place to visit when in Staffordshire even if just to pay tribute to a loved one, this is not just for the military but other professions and institutes.

In my opinion and excellent and fitting place. If you have the tie and are in the area this is a place to visit. Lovely setting and in the best possible environment to pay tribute to all.

It was while ago when we visited, but I remember it was so peaceful there. How it was laid out was extremely moving. I especially loved the wall with the soldiers going through the middle.
But everyone needs to go to see this, you will be overcome by the sheer scale of the place and all its beauty.

I went with friends from Scotland to revisit this site. I was surprised how moving I found it. Having had family killed and injured in various conflicts it hits hard when you see the different memorials. I would be deeply saddened if anyone found themselves unmoved by a visit here,

What a wonderful place to visit . The whole experience is amazing and the central wall with the names of servicemen and women who have perished in recent conflicts is mind-blowing - so many have died ! There is a gap in the wall which , at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month ,the sun shines through and highlights one of the stunning sculptures . A must visit if you're in the area - or even worth a further journey . The different sections of the grounds ,which are extensive , are devoted to different sections of the armed forces , civil services , charities and local organisations and there is also an area called " Shot at Dawn" which tells the story of those who were shot for cowardice or desertion, when they had often been suffering from shell shock or post traumatic stress disorder.- so incredibly sad when many of them had volunteered when under age.

Brilliant and poignant place. Staff really knowledgeable, chapel visit was emotional, grounds kept in immaculate condition. will visit again

Great place right on the doorstep which we often forget is fun & enjoyable for the kids too.
There are kids activities during half term week and my two (7&9) loved walking through the woodland areas to see the different memorials in the clearings. They also enjoyed the mini wooden assault course on site (right by a tree of remembrance for children) and the promise of an ice-cream after a good (educational) stroll!
Parking was £3 but entrance is free with the option of a donation.

I loved going here, it is a calm and beautiful place and I advise all to go. It has small nature areas which are nice, and trees which all resemble a fallen soldior or another important meaning. Such a fantastic place

We attended the dedication of the HMS Ardent Anchor Memorial. A very well organised event in the presence of HRH The Duchess of Gloucester.
This was our first visit to the NMA and would thoroughly recommend a visit to everyone. Covering 150 acres with hundreds of memorials to all the fallen since World War 1 it makes you realize just how many have given their lives in defence of our Country.

A beautiful and very moving place to visit. Over three hundred memorials to our brave men and women, to whom we owe so much. The lovely riverside walk is an added bonus.

This our second visit here we came back to see the new statue of the Land Amy girls my mum is 94 and she was one of these girl see meet and married my Dad in 1942 she was in her uniform and my dad was in his fire fighting uniform I was so happy to tell my mum how lovely it was

Had a lovely day at the arboretum, lots of walking but worth spending the day, very quiet and peaceful place, nothing to dislike.

A very touching experience

Wonderful place,well worth a visit! Enjoyed the day with sad overtone

This is one of the very few places you really can't describe, you must visit, one of the most moving and powerfully emotional places I've been in my life.

Lunch was excellent. Meeting in chapel informative and reverential. Even though it was November still appreciated how beautiful it must look in spring-summer. Mini train useful except when I wanted to find a specific memorial in the middle - muddy

This was the first time we had been and was well worth it.we attended the Monti Cassino reunion as my late father in law was there during the war.We were well look after and spent a pleasant day looking round.i think everyone young and old should visit at least once.

Absolutely fantastic place to visit. If this place does,nt stir your emotions and make you think about the sacrifices made for us, you would be a cold cold person indeed.

We visited to attend a Royal Navy service but would definitely return when we have longer as there is so much to see. Volunteers were excellent

We visited the Arboretum with friends, every body should visit the Arboretum. This place is run by volunteers and their is no charge to visit you can leave a donation if you wish. There is a train which costs £5 and it takes you round it's worth going on the train because you get a cometary as you go round, and the Armed Forces Memorial is very moving. There is a nice cafe and gift shop a must to visit enjoy