National Churchill Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Winston Churchill Memorial
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View from the south
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 Location in Missouri
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| Location | Fulton, Missouri |
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| Built | 1677 |
| Architect | Christopher Wren |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Classical, English Baroque |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000708 |
| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
America’s National Churchill Museum is located on the Westminster College campus in Fulton, Missouri, United States. This museum celebrates Sir Winston Churchill, who was a very important Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The museum includes three main parts: the Church of St Mary Aldermanbury, the museum exhibits, and the Breakthrough sculpture. The church itself was rebuilt in 1677 by the famous English architect Christopher Wren.
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Discover the National Churchill Museum
The main part of America’s National Churchill Museum is the Church of St. Mary, Aldermanbury. This church from the 1600s was carefully moved stone-by-stone from London, England, to Fulton.
Beneath the church is the Churchill museum. It was updated in 2006. The exhibits here tell the story of Churchill's life. They cover his personal journey, his political career, and his lasting impact on the world. There is also a special reading room. It holds many books and documents for people who want to research Churchill.
Outside the church, you will find the Breakthrough sculpture. This artwork is made from eight pieces of the Berlin Wall. Churchill's granddaughter, Edwina Sandys, designed it. The sculpture honors both Churchill's famous "Sinews of Peace" speech and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Churchill's Famous "Iron Curtain" Speech
In 1946, the president of Westminster College, Franc McCluer, had an idea. He reached out to someone close to U.S. President Harry S Truman. This person, a former student of Westminster College, helped arrange for President Truman to visit the college. He also helped invite Winston Churchill to speak there.
Churchill accepted the invitation. On March 5, 1946, he gave his famous "Sinews of Peace" speech. This talk is also known as the "Iron Curtain" speech. President Truman was there to witness this important event.
Today, visitors to the museum can watch parts of the speech on film. The special lectern and chair that Churchill used are also on display.
The Church of St. Mary, Aldermanbury: A Living Memorial
In 1961, Westminster College President Dr. Robert L. D. Davidson started planning a way to remember Winston Churchill. He also wanted to honor Churchill's "Sinews of Peace" speech. A magazine article showed pictures of old churches in London that were damaged by war. These churches were going to be torn down. This gave him the idea to bring one of these churches to the college. It would serve as a memorial and a chapel.
After looking into it, college officials chose St. Mary, Aldermanbury. It was picked to be moved to the college campus.
Why St. Mary's Was Chosen
St. Mary, Aldermanbury was chosen for a few reasons. It was a smaller church, and it had a long history of almost 1,000 years. The church was first built in the late 1100s. It survived many big events in English history. These included the English Reformation and civil wars.
However, on September 2, 1666, the church was destroyed. This happened during the Great Fire of London. Permission to rebuild was given in 1670. Architect Christopher Wren began rebuilding the church in 1672. He used some of the old foundation and as many original stones as possible. By 1677, the main work was finished. A small dome, called a cupola, was added to the tower in 1679.
St. Mary's During World War II
On December 29, 1940, during World War II, German planes attacked London. St. Mary's was hit directly by a fire bomb. This caused it to burn down again. After the war, many destroyed churches were not rebuilt. St. Mary's, like many others, remained in ruins. After 20 years as ruins, St. Mary's and other London churches were planned for demolition.
At this point, Westminster College stepped in. They stopped the demolition of St. Mary's. They decided to rebuild it in America to honor Winston Churchill. It took four years to get everything ready for the project. They also needed to raise $2 million, which is more than $10 million today. The famous actor Richard Burton helped a lot. He appeared on a TV show to ask for donations.
Moving the Church to America
In 1965, the process of moving St. Mary's began. Workers carefully labeled each of the 7,000 stones. They noted where each stone belonged in the church. More than 700 tons of stone blocks were shipped to Fulton by boat and train. During the trip, the stones got mixed up. This made rebuilding the church much harder.
The first stone for the new foundation was placed in October 1966. By May 1967, the last stone was in place. But it took two more years to finish the inside of the church. English woodcarvers created new carvings for the pulpit, baptismal font, and balcony. They used old photos to make them look just like the originals. An American company made the glass for the windows. A Dutch company made five new bronze bells for the tower.
Noel Mander, who was a fire warden and saw St. Mary's burn in 1940, built the organ. He also helped make sure all the inside details were correct. There were only two small changes from Wren's original design. An organ gallery was added to the west wall. A window was put in the tower to light the stairway.
Dedication and Recognition
The dedication ceremonies for St. Mary's and The Winston Churchill Memorial and Library happened on May 7, 1969. During the ceremonies, the Rev. Anthony Tremlett, a Bishop from England, blessed St. Mary's again as a place of worship.
In 1992, a group called the Eagle Squadrons Association named St. Mary's their official chapel. In 2009, the United States Congress officially declared the museum “America’s National Churchill Museum.”
Winston S. Churchill: A Life of Leadership Gallery
The museum tells the story of Churchill's life. The exhibits start from his birth. They then move through the most important events of his life. They also show how these events connected to major world events of the 20th century.
World War I Experience
One special part of the museum is the "Admiralty, Army & Arsenal: 1914–1919" room. This area looks like a World War I trench. It has barbed wire, sandbags, and old ammunition. This helps visitors understand what it was like for a British soldier. A periscope on the trench wall lets you see a real World War I battlefield from old videos. You can also hear sounds of soldiers talking and distant gunfire. This room also looks at Churchill's role in the Dardanelles and Gallipoli disasters. It also shows his ideas for new war technology.
The Gathering Storm: Leading Up to World War II
Another part of the exhibit is "The Gathering Storm: 1929–1939" room. This section talks about Churchill's concerns about Hitler and the Nazi movement. In this room, five video screens show clips from Nazi propaganda films. They are mixed with images of the coming war. The exhibit shows Churchill's strong views on the Nazis. It also highlights his dislike for Britain's pre-war appeasement politics.
Churchill's Finest Hour: World War II
The "Churchill's Finest Hour: World War II, 1939–1945" room shows World War II. It focuses on Churchill's role during this time. It has a sound and light show that recreates an air-raid on London during the "Blitz." You will see fake rubble and hear bombs exploding. Air raid sirens wail, and flashing lights show searchlights and anti-aircraft fire. You also hear audio clips from wartime radio broadcasts.
After this demonstration, a short film explains Churchill's role as prime minister during the war. It is narrated by Walter Cronkite. Other interactive displays teach about wartime skills. These include code breaking and plane spotting.
More Museum Highlights
Other parts of the museum include "The Sinews of Peace" room. This room tells how and why Churchill came to visit Westminster College. It features the lectern and chair Churchill used for his speech. You can also see the special robes he wore.
In "Winston's Wit & Wisdom" room, visitors can sit in a room designed like a British club. You can listen to stories about Churchill. You can also search a database of his most famous quotes and funny sayings.
Breakthrough Sculpture
On November 9, 1990, Edwina Sandys, Winston Churchill's granddaughter, showed her sculpture Breakthrough to the public. It is located at America’s National Churchill Museum. This sculpture is made from eight sections of the Berlin Wall. Breakthrough remembers the fall of the Berlin Wall. It also honors Churchill's "Sinews of Peace" speech.
In 1990, Westminster College supported Sandys and her husband, Richard Kaplan. They traveled to East Berlin to get parts of the wall. When they arrived, they learned the wall sections were very expensive. A 4-foot-wide section could cost $60,000 to $200,000. However, officials in East Germany liked the idea of a Berlin Wall monument. They were interested in placing it where Churchill gave his 1946 speech. So, they gave Sandys eight sections of the wall as a gift to Westminster College.
Sandys chose the sections from an area near the Brandenburg Gate. This area was often visited by artists. She liked the bright colors of the graffiti. She also liked that the word "unwahr" (meaning "lies" or "untruths") was used many times on the sections. Sandys changed the original sections. She cut out large shapes of a man and a woman from the wall. These shapes show the new communication between East and West Germany. When put together, Breakthrough is about 11 feet tall and 32 feet long. The cut-out shapes are part of another sculpture called Breakfree. This second sculpture is at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York.
One year after the Berlin Wall fell, Sandys showed Breakthrough to a crowd of 7,000 people. They gathered on the Westminster College campus.
Lecture Series at Westminster College
Since 1937, Westminster College has hosted two important lecture series. These are the John Findley Green Lectures and the Crosby Kemper Lectures. Both series have brought many important people to the college. These include politicians, business leaders, and academics.
The John Findley Green Foundation Lectures started in 1936. They honor John Findley Green, a lawyer who graduated from Westminster College in 1884. These lectures help people understand global economic and social issues. The Crosby Kemper Lecture Series began in 1979. It was started with a grant from the Crosby Kemper Foundation. This series brings experts on British History and Sir Winston Churchill to the National Churchill Museum.
