As the world commemorates 80 years since the end of the Second World War, Blackpool’s untold wartime story will take centre stage in a compelling new exhibition at Showtown, opening 2nd April 2025.
Wartime Blackpool will reveal the crucial role the seaside town played in sustaining national morale during the Second World War.
Blackpool remained a lively entertainment hub, attracting holidaymakers even in dark times. Thousands of RAF personnel and service members were billeted here, reshaping the role of local landladies. With London’s West End relocating to escape bombings, Hollywood stars performed for the crowds.
This exhibition explores how Blackpool housed evacuees, civil servants, and British, Polish, and American airmen.
Wartime Blackpool is an exhibition that has been co-created with members of Blackpool’s local community, unlocking personal stories and highlighting the town’s unique wartime experience.
Featuring a range of historic objects, the exhibition will bring together items from Showtown’s collection alongside significant loans from the Imperial War Museum, Lancashire County Museums Service, and the British Cartoon Archive, as well as private loans from the local community.
Jill Carruthers, Exhibition Manager at Showtown said:
“We’re thrilled to share Blackpool’s untold wartime story in this landmark exhibition. Wartime Blackpool captures the town’s resilience, rich history and the personal stories of those who lived it. Showtown is committed to making history inclusive, engaging and accessible. This exhibition is a shining example of collaboration in action. We can’t wait to welcome visitors to explore this extraordinary chapter of Blackpool’s past.”
Wartime Blackpool’s national loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections.
Sophia Weston, Deputy Chair of the Garfield Weston Foundation said:
“The Weston Loan Programme helps museums tell compelling stories through significant loans that have relevance to local heritage, so we are delighted to support this exhibition in Blackpool which shines a light on the town's little known role in the Allied war effort.”
The exhibition’s focal point is a rarely seen loan from the Imperial War Museum: Physical Training at a Royal Air Force Training Centre, an evocative oil painting by war artist Charles Ernest Cundall. The piece depicts RAF personnel training in the Winter Gardens’ Empress Ballroom, with balconies filled with onlookers. The exhibition features private loans that spotlight the bravery of the Polish Air Force, who trained and served in Blackpool.
Showtown’s collection further enriches the exhibition. From wartime holiday guides to entertainment posters that feature influential women like Ena Baga and Ivy Benson, the exhibition captures Blackpool’s resilient spirit.
A new interactive digital map offers visitors an engaging way to explore Blackpool’s wartime heritage.
Get Involved and Visit Showtown
Wartime Blackpool will run from 2nd April at Showtown.
With an engaging programme of events, unique storytelling and hands-on experiences, it promises to be an unforgettable journey into Blackpool’s wartime history.
A ticket to Showtown includes admission to the Wartime Blackpool exhibition.