During his time in military intelligence, Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond novels, worked closely with Winston Churchill’s spy organization located 30 meters below ground in a network of tunnels in central London. The Kingsway Exchange tunnels complex, spanning 8,000 square meters beneath High Holborn near Chancery Lane underground station, hosted the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and served as inspiration for Q Branch in Fleming’s novels. Plans to revamp this abandoned World War II tunnel network include a permanent exhibition on military intelligence and espionage.
The Military Intelligence Museum will collaborate with the London Tunnels company to develop the site, showcasing original artifacts, equipment, weapons, and documents in a modern, high-tech experience at the proposed £220m London tourist attraction set to open in 2028. Today, the tunnels remain closed but hold many clues to their intriguing past. Construction began in 1940 to protect Londoners during the Blitz but was not completed until 1942, so the tunnels were never used for their intended purpose. The SOE later used these tunnels for imaginative strategies to counter the Nazis.
The tunnels have also served as the Kingsway telephone exchange, providing internal communications during the Cold War. Instead of being used for its original purpose, the tunnels were transformed into the world’s deepest licensed bar for government staff in the 1980s. Under its new proposed development, the site will become a three-in-one attraction offering exhibitions, immersive interactive exhibitions, and a bar. Subjects will include James Bond and the Cold War, as well as a memorial to the Blitz, with themes changing regularly. The venue aims to attract up to 3 million visitors a year, providing the world’s most authoritative permanent exhibition on military intelligence.
Gen Sir Jim Hockenhull, commander of Strategic Command and colonel commandant of the Intelligence Corps, stated, “The tunnels will provide a dramatic and historic backdrop for an exciting new approach to telling the story of the past, present, and future of military intelligence.” The exhibition will run from the Battle of Britain and D-Day to peacekeeping missions and the terrorist threat of the 21st century, featuring a special exhibition dedicated to the SOE. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027 with completion in 2028, revitalizing an area that has seen reduced footfall since the Covid pandemic.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/may/30/london-tunnels-inspired-james-bond-creator-spy-museum
