Welcome to the only School Air Raid Shelter open in the South

DARE TO DESCEND?

👻 TAKE SHELTER – GHOSTLY TALES FROM THE DARKNESS 👻

An Adults-Only Ghost Tour of Brighton’s Wartime Air-Raid Shelter

This Halloween, step into the darkness and hear the stories that have never been told before — tales of those who sought shelter, those who suffered, and those who, perhaps, never left.

🕯️ 40 minutes of ghostly storytelling

🔦 Torches provided — but be warned: parts of the tour will take place in limited or no lighting.

👻 Strictly 18+ only

🚨 Limited to just 10 people per tour

🎟️ £12 per ticket

🎃 HALLOWEEN WEEKEND

Saturday 31st October & Sunday 1st November

Tour times: PROMPT!

7:00–7:40pm

8:00–8:40pm

9:00–9:40pm

Buy Tickets

Monthly Open Days

Book here for one of our monthly open days.

We are open for tours and much more on the second Sunday of each month during term time. At each of our community open mornings you can:

Explore our unique underground air raid shelter with our friendly volunteer guides (tickets required).
Browse the new Take Shelter museum displays and chat to our veterans about their wartime experiences
Have a tasty snack and hot drink at Mrs Button’s Tea Room
Take home a souvenir from our Take Shelter gift shop

Our next Open Days are:

New Take Shelter Podcast

We are excited to launch a new podcast series exploring different aspects of everyday life in Brighton and the surrounding area during the Second World War. The podcasts shine a light on the experiences of ordinary people living through extraordinary times.

We have already finished eight episodes and we’ll be publishing one every two weeks from early August 2026 on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TakeShelter_WW2

Our next recording session is already booked in and our plan is to keep sharing fascinating personal stories from wartime Brighton. Rather than focusing on battles and military strategy, these podcasts explore the human side of the war—how families coped with rationing, air raids, community spirit and the many challenges of daily life. Whether you have a personal connection to Brighton, an interest in local history, or simply enjoy discovering the stories behind familiar places, this series offers a fresh and engaging perspective on the city during one of the most significant periods in its history.

We hope these conversations inspire new audiences to discover Brighton’s remarkable wartime heritage and encourage listeners to explore the wider collection of stories, photographs and research available through the Take Shelter project.

Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any of our episodes.

National Lottery Heritage Fund Award Announcement

Today, Take Shelter is announcing being awarded an £85,575 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to capture and share the experiences of the city’s last wartime veterans. Working with volunteers, we will present these first-hand experiences alongside artefacts, wartime documents, photographs and films drawn from the partner organisations to create a rich story of wartime Brighton, saving it for future generations for whom the Second World War is not within their lifetime.

Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Take Shelter’s capturing Brighton’s last WW2 Veteran’s project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to capture, preserve and share these important stories.

Statement from The National Lottery Heritage Fund:

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past. heritagefund.org.uk

The full press release can be found here