National Memorial Arboretum

4.9/5 based on 12001 reviews
Latest Reviews
We enjoyed the experience of visiting the Arboretum and decided to have a snack before the journey back. The afternoon tea was just the job. A selection of freshly made sandwich, ham, cheese, tuna and egg were our choice with salad very tasty 😁 Aww then came the cakes and scones with jam and clotted cream. DELICIOUS. All homemade a real treat with a nice hot pot of tea. Would highly recommend and at £17 for two excellent value for money 👍
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
It's interesting and moving. Staff are very helpful and informative. Landscaped grounds provide a very pleasant, peaceful place to take a walk, and the cafe offers good value refreshments.
google.com
Source: google.com
This is certainly not the place for a fun day out. However, the site is well organised and attractively set out, and it is a poignant reminder of the consequences of war. Those who lost their lives in wars involving Britain since 1914 are all remembered in the vast number of memorials on this site. It is not a glorification of war, however: there is a programme of talks, which includes reference to conscientious objectors and to organisations such as the Quakers.

Admission is free, but parking costs £3, and there is a charge of £7.50 (concessions available) for the use of an audio guide, which also grants entry to the Landscapes of Life exhibition. I’m not a great fan of audio guides, and I didn’t find this one particularly helpful: there seemed to be relatively few locations where one could use it, and it provided information about the physical details of monuments (such as their weight or how long it took to make them) rather than their significance. There is also a larger guide in book form, available at additional cost.

The grounds are spacious and attractive. It was a pity it was so cold on a February day, otherwise we would have explored them further. Inside, the exhibition was imaginative, and catering facilities were excellent, offering light lunches including home-made cake. There is also a gift shop.

Visitors should not miss out on the Millennium Chapel, which depicts how the various Christian apostles met their deaths. It is a working chapel, offering regular services as well as talks. For children there is a small play area, discreetly designed to blend with the character of the venue, rather than in typical nursery colours.

Our visit was an interesting experience, although it is not the sort of venue I personally enjoy visiting.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
What a great experience. I had very few expectations in terms of size and personal impact, so it wasn't hard for those to be exceeded! But it's a wonderful and peaceful place, covering a vast area. I walked over 8km and didn't cover it all by any means. It's well laid out, and easy to navigate, and the audio guide is a bonus.

Wear sturdy shoes because you'll be walking on grass (mud atm) as well as paths.

The NMA is still relatively new and so the trees are not especially mature, making it a little lacking in shelter if there's a cold wind blowing!

Loads of volunteers around to help too.

Good cafe too as a reward at the end!
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Great place to visit. We will definitely be going back did not get to see all of it so had to choose which areas to to see also great work done by all the volunteers who are a great help.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A lovely place to go to think about all those men and women who gave their lives to defend us. More uplifting than sad
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Very emotional, interesting and plenty to see and do. Would highly recommend a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum. Would recommend the restaurant too
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Absolutely brilliant place car parking and mobility parking mobility scooters for hire very low prices facilities are brilliant staff and attendants are absolutely brilliant they can not do enough for you there is cafeteria and restaurant facilities it is a well looked after place well worth the visit.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a must visit for everyone, poignant, uplifting, sad, grateful, thoughtful, reflective. Oh and it's got a great visitor centre.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I visited the National Memorial Arboretum the weekend after Remembrance Sunday. The site is unique in providing a space for a variety of memorials in honour of a variety of groups. The centrepiece, a wall dedicated to British military lives lost in combat, is the highlight, providing a poignant visual representation of soldiers killed in action.

While access to the site is free, the on-site refreshments are quite expensive. I raise this not to complain, as I expect that funds raised go toward the maintenance of the site, but to let large families know in advance.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Just an incredible moving experience. Everyone should visit here. It is an extraordinary memorial to all those lives lost over 100 years of war.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Unsure what to expect but very tasteful and peaceful. It gets your mind thinking of how grateful we should be to all the people and animals who lost there lives. Time just disappear while you are there.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Wondeful tribute for all those have served in conflicts around the world. Now that the new visitors centre and restaurant has been opened it is definitely well worth visiting.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I am a Cocker Spaniel called Mia and I live in Lincoln. My owners take me to the arboretum but I am not allowed in certain parts of the memorials. This is sad because dogs worked very hard in wars, tracing bombs and mines. They looked after their soldiers and stayed by their side protecting them. Many dogs have been killed in action over the years or badly wounded.

I think it is a shame that I can't look at more at the arboretum. I am always on a lead and my owners always 'poop my scoop'. So that my owner can look at everything I stay in the car with my lady owner so he can wander off without us.

Please let dogs in. The owners will keep them on their leads!
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A place to celebrate the forces, past, present and future. Lovely to just walk around at your own leisure, a guided tour or walk the dog. Cafe serves excellent homemade food, cakes etc. There's a British Legion shop for gifts and lots more.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
So much more emotional to see such a beautiful area than simply a stone monument
google.com
Source: google.com
We visited the National Memorial Arboretum again with friends taking a guided buggy tour which takes about two hours as there is so much to see with over 300 monuments a volunteer guide is really helpful as they are so knowledgable.

The new Remembrance Centre is spectacular with a thought provoking exhibition area, restaurant, coffee shop, retail and teaching facilities for schools

Apart from all the monuments including the impressive Armed Forces Memorial there are acres of grounds and gardens to see a place to revisit in all seasons
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Lovely place staff so polite & helpful
google.com
Source: google.com
The National Memorial Arboretum is stunning.
Ample parking which is £3.00 for the day, the money goes to the Arboretum funds.
The ladies on reception were so friendly and we opted for a 45 minute buggy ride the cost was £5.00 each. Our driver was very knowledgeable and as it was cold blankets were provided for our legs. Afterwards we strolled round on our own. The shot at dawn statue gave me goose bumps the ages of those shot was so young.
We had lunch in the restaurant which was superb, the staff carried my sisters tray as she is disabled lovely touch and very much appreciated.
I can't express strong enough please visit.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Very poignant reminder of those brave young men and women who gave their lives for others and those who continue to do so.
google.com
Source: google.com
It is a must to visit just make sure you have plenty time as site is huge.
google.com
Source: google.com
I visit frequently. Staff are helpful and enthusiastic. Being disabled, I have had to ask for help getting around but they have motorised scooters to borrow which is helpful (Ring ahead to be sure one is available). New museum is very good, and presentation of the whole place is excellent. Everywhere has ramps, there are easy open doors on the main building, and cafe staff will carry trays if necessary. Quite apart from accessibility, the place is a brilliant centre for memorials, thought provoking, peaceful yet not overly sombre because of the nature- filled setting.
google.com
Source: google.com
Beautiful grounds, very moving experience
google.com
Source: google.com
Easy to park and staff welcoming at the door. There's a £3 parking fee for the day.

The Arboretum is free to walk around but there are other activities available that you need to pay for. The grounds are very well kept and there's probably enough to see to pass on a good hour or two.

There's a cafe/restaurant on site and gift shop for browsing around filled with lovely poppy themed goods.
tripadvisor.co.uk
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Very emotional experience
google.com
Source: google.com
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