The 40th anniversary of statesman and wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill’s death is being marked with the opening of a new London museum devoted to him. The Churchill Museum, which opens on February 11, is the world’s first dedicated to the life, achievements and legacy of “the greatest Briton who ever lived,” according to a BBC poll.

It is the final component in the expansion of the Cabinet War Rooms, which are situated below street level in Whitehall, and from where Churchill led the country and the Allied war effort during the Second World War. The £13.5 million project has already seen the restoration of his private living accommodation within the War Rooms: the museum includes artefacts, photographs, documents and film, many never seen by the public before.

This is the first national museum dedicated to Winston Churchill. It creates an intimate and multifaceted portrait of him, one that reveals the private as well as the public man, his talents and flaws.

The Cabinet War Rooms has received £2 million from the National Heritage Memorial Fund towards the Churchill Project. We are seeking to raise £11.5 million through fundraising in order to complete the full restoration and expansion project. £6 million of this is required to establish The Churchill Museum and ensure that this great world statesman receives a fitting tribute.

The Churchill Museum opens daily, admission £10 adult, children free, tel. 020 7930 6961. Website: www.churchillmuseum.org.uk.