The new museum opens on February 11. © IWM

From February 11, visitors to the Cabinet War Rooms in London will be treated to an extra museum for the price of their entry ticket when the UK’s first dedicated Winston Churchill Museum opens its doors.

Covering 10,000 square feet, the new £6 million Churchill Museum combines cutting-edge technology and rare and significant historical objects with images, film and sound recordings to tell the whole story of Churchill’s 90-year life.

"The new museum doesn’t just cover the war years," Curator Vanessa Rayner told the 24 Hour Museum, "we are really unpeeling the layers of the myth. We take a chronological approach from his childhood and his early years onwards and of course he was an accomplished and prolific writer so many of the pieces are documents from his writing."

Churchill and Clementine visiting the smoking remains of the Guildhall following a night of German bombing of the City of London, Dec 1940. © IWM

Divided into five chapters the museum covers his childhood, his early political career from 1900 to 1929, the wilderness years of the thirties, his wartime leadership and his role as a Cold War Statesman until his death in 1965. The new development promises the chance for people to really get under the skin of the wartime leader and discover the man behind the myth.

A 50-foot long interactive ‘lifeline’ allows access to thousands of documents, images, films and sound recordings.

“We have always had in mind the need to keep the public engaged,” said Vanessa, “the lifeline bisects the whole space and is full of documents and letters that relate to his life. It allows visitors to conduct their own research and focus on the aspects of Churchill they are interested in.”

Churchill became famous when, as a journalist covering the Boer War, he was captured and subsequently escaped with the aid of this revolver. © The Harlan Crow Family.

Allied to the lifeline and the cutting-edge technology is an impressive collection of iconic objects. There are medals, cigars and a trademark ‘Bowker’ felt hat. There’s even the revolver used by the youthful Churchill when, as a war reporter, he dramatically escaped imprisonment from the Boers in 1899.

“The objects propel the story,” added Vanessa, “and I think a personal favourite of mine is the siren suit, which I think really sums up the man. Not only is it functional its also sumptuous – made as it is of red velvet. I think visitors will also get a real sense of the dimensions of the man from the way we have displayed it.”

The new museum also offers the chance to learn more about Churchill’s way of life at Chartwell, the Churchill country home from 1924 to his death in 1965, and there are objects such as his bed table and his paint palette together with some examples of his art work.

Black felt morning ‘Bowker’ hat. The popular image of Churchill would not be complete without the Bowker hat and bow tie combination. © IWM

Even the great man’s school records are on hand to reveal another side to him. A punishment book from Harrow School discloses that on May 25 1891 the young Winston received 7 strokes of the cane for ‘breaking into premises and doing damage.’

The new venue is the first dedicated Churchill museum in the UK and forms the core of the Churchill Project, a major £13.5 million restoration and expansion programme at the site that began when the Cabinet War Rooms managed to seize space freed up by the movement of the Treasury 10 years ago.

HM Majesty the Queen will be on hand on February 10 to open the new museum and meet veterans from the period including Mrs Elizabeth Nel, Churchill’s only surviving wartime secretary. Key funders who made the project possible will also be present at the inauguration.

Between 1895 and 1962 Churchill was awarded 37 orders, decorations and medals. Ten were awarded for active service, but the majority where given after the Second World War.

Phil Reed, Director of the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms said, “We feel deeply privileged that Her Majesty has agreed to open the Churchill Museum. As Churchill was the first Prime Minister of her reign, Her Majesty is the most appropriate person to undertake this duty.”

The Cabinet War Rooms received £2 million from the National Heritage Lottery Memorial Fund towards the Churchill Project, with further funding coming from private donations and charitable trusts.