Visit this subterranean museum to find out about an intriguing piece of the complicated World War I that played a part in victory.
The Wellington Quarry Museum is an underground site that pays homage to the soldiers who built an intricate network of tunnels beneath Arras during World War I. The site contains historical artifacts that enlighten visitors about the greater context of Arras’ role in the war. Learn about the servicemen who risked their lives to create this important part of the Allies’ strategy.
Enter the museum aboveground. Pick up a leaflet at the reception area to help you understand the exhibits as you move through the museum. Delve into the underground layer via an elevator shaft to start your tour of the tunnels. The elevator has glass windows so you can admire the chalk walls of the quarry as you descend about 65 feet (20 meters).
Take a guided tour of the many tunnels and listen to fascinating tales of heroism and strategic genius. Watch presentations to learn about the soldiers who built and lived in these dark tunnels. Reminders of their presence show up in graffiti and painted signs. Note the helmets, bottles and food containers that belonged to the World War I era.
Browse the items on sale at the museum’s gift shop near the reception desk. Select from books, postcards and other souvenirs.
Chalk quarries were an important part of the local industry from the Middle Ages and added strategic value when the British began using the trenches to launch war-time offensives. These war tunnels connect with other trenches that were built by the Romans many centuries earlier.
The French name for the site is the Carrière Wellington, named by the New Zealanders who tunneled this section. Dress for cool underground temperatures. There is an entrance fee to access the museum, which is open daily, except for closure several weeks after Christmas.
The Wellington Quarry Museum is in the southern suburbs of Arras, a 1.2-mile (2-kilometer) drive from the center of the city. Take buses from across the city to the museum. A taxi journey from the Place des Héros will take about 10 minutes.
