For the safety and comfort of all our visitors, we ask that you observe the following terms and conditions of entry during your visit to the Arboretum.
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The Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens will welcome tens of thousands of people to the 150-acre Staffordshire estate for a programme of Remembrance events and activities throughout the autumn.
We believe in being open and up-front with our visitors and supporters. Our privacy promise explains how we look after your information.
Our site is unique, and there’s lots to see and do. New visitors often say that our grounds are much bigger than expected.
There are lots of ways to get involved with RBL National Remembrance Gardens, from volunteer roles to paid positions.
If you're passionate about the work of RBL National Remembrance Gardens and are keen to help us grow, you might be interested in volunteering with us.
One of the most rewarding ways to support us is to become a Friend.
During November, public services of Remembrance will be held at the National Remembrance Gardens.
Prepare using the helpful guidance and travel information on our plan your visit pages.
Register to receive our emails and keep up to date with our latest news.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team about hiring one of the spaces on our site please complete the enquiry form below.
It is an exciting time at RBL National Remembrance Gardens, read our latest news here.
To ensure schools can access the learning experiences offered by our team, eligible schools can apply for support from our Education Travel Bursaries.
Together, we work to find new ways to give voice to memories, uncover hidden stories, and keep the past alive for future generations.
We love to hear from our visitors, whether you have a question in advance of a visit, or you would like to share some feedback after a visit.
The National Remembrance Gardens is unique, and there’s lots to see and do during a visit. Wander and discover as you go or join one of our tours.
Our Changing Places Toilet is located in our Remembrance Centre, with level access, and can be accessed by a RADAR toilet key.
There are over 420 memorials and around 25,000 trees in our 150-acre grounds.
View an alphabetised list of all the memorials in our grounds.
The Tree of Cherished Memories is a sculpture at the National Remembrance Gardens.
The largest memorial at the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens is the Armed Forces Memorial.
We offer a range of homemade tasty meals and snacks, along with freshly prepared hot beverages and chilled drinks.
A stately Spaeth Alder tree sits surrounded by a beautiful seating area, inviting visitors to pause and take a moment and reflect.
Find your search results here, with information on our site and upcoming events and activities.
There are over 400 memorials of all shapes and sizes in our grounds. Discover more about just some of the memorials and their symbolism.
Our programme of daily activities has been designed to help you make the most of your visit.
A programme of interesting and enjoyable events, for visitors of all ages, are available throughout the year.
Your organisation can make a difference in a variety of ways: from volunteering to sponsorship.
The restoration of The Garden of the Innocents Memorial alongside two play areas is a huge undertaking.
In 2024, the Shot at Dawn Memorial urgently needed restoration. As word spread that this memorial needed urgent repair, our community stepped in to help.
As a charity we rely on the generous support of our donors, supporters and sponsors. We could not survive without them.
Briggs Equipment Ltd have partnered with the National Remembrance Gardens for over seven years in a relationship that has evolved over time.
The National Remembrance Gardens is a collection of stories, a celebration of lives which have mattered and a living tribute to lives lost.
We can be found in the centre of England on Croxall Road, Alrewas in Staffordshire. It is easy to reach and is close to all the Midlands motorways.
As the UK’s centre of Remembrance we understand the importance of honouring a loved one through a charitable gift or personal tribute.
RBL National Remembrance Gardens is a UK registered charity that relies on the generous support of our visitors, partners, friends and donors.
Why not make the most of your visit to the National Remembrance Gardens and plan an extended stay in the local area.
We aim to cater for the needs of all our visitors and try to accommodate all access requirements where possible.
To help you plan your visit we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions.
Our shop offers the perfect retail treat during your visit.
Groups of all sizes and interests enjoy visiting the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens, formerly the National Memorial Arboretum.
Welcome to the National Remembrance Gardens (formerly National Memorial Arboretum), a place to discover remarkable stories and gain new perspectives.
We welcome applications from organisations wishing to dedicate a memorial.
This very special place is a remarkable location for your next event offering award-winning event spaces and facilities for 10 – 300 guests.
With nearly 400 memorials amongst peaceful gardens, RBL National Remembrance Gardens is the perfect place to hold your Remembrance event.
Impress your guests with an evening event in Aspects at the Royal British Legion Nation Remembrance Gardens.
We are happy to support journalists, broadcasters and filmmakers and welcome people to use our site as a recording location by pre-arrangement.
Maintaining and supporting the environment is something we care passionately about.
Since our official opening 25 years ago our grounds have grown into an inspirational living landscape.
RBL National Remembrance Gardens celebrates lives lived and commemorates lives lost. We are the nation’s year-round place to remember.
Founded from the seed of an idea, discover more about the history and origins of the National Remembrance Gardens.
In Birmingham, artists Tasawar Bashir and Nafeesa Hamid gathered stories from communities with South Asian heritage.
Some of the stories featured here explore themes of togetherness, isolation, service, support and the value of the outdoors.
Artists worked alongside a local social prescribing group to produce eco-dyed textiles inspired by experiences of outdoor spaces during and after the pandemic.
Artist Sebbie Mudhai and videographer Tom Chimiak explored the experiences of those living in Citizen's supported housing.
In 2021 we produced a nationwide programme of exhibitions exploring communities’ engagement with local outdoor heritage during the pandemic.
In Westminster, artist Alix Smith and members of St Andrew's Youth Club produced a series of park benches covered with illustrations.
Working with artists has enabled community groups to develop new creative skills, coming together to share their individual and collective stories.
Plan a visit with your four-legged friend, using our visiting with dogs information.
Our site has something for all ages, from outdoor trails and holiday activities, to leisurely strolls that can end at one of our children's play areas.
Make your visit to the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens more relaxing by pre-booking one of our food packages.
Twenty-five years since our grounds officially opened to the public we are undertaking an ambitious heritage project, Archiving Remembrance.
Ideal for smaller groups, our personalised tours with an experienced guide make the perfect gift for loved ones.
The Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens welcomes thousands of groups visitors annually to explore, discover and remember.
Our programme of free Activity Days allow students to explore topical themes alongside our grounds and memorials.
Our Explorer Days have been designed to encourage students to form their own opinions and arguments around key themes.
Our collaborative participation programmes help us to explore and learn from the stories we share at RBL National Remembrance Gardens.
Only have time for a quick visit? Our shorter workshops start from 30 minutes, and can be tailored to a range of key stages.
Using our natural landscape as inspiration, we support various curriculum-based objectives through our fully inclusive learning programme.
A guided tour at the National Remembrance Gardens offers a meaningful and age-appropriate experience for students of all ages.
Learning groups are welcome to visit the National Remembrance Gardens and deliver their own activities.
Can’t visit us? Let us come to you with one of our specially adapted activities or workshops.
Talent in the Ranks supports aspiring singers, songwriters, and poets, from within the Armed Forces community.
Our poet-in-residence takes to the grounds for up to a 2-year period, exploring the surroundings, landscape, and memorials through the art of poetry.
Guiding Lights is a project that aims to bring a unique dimension to Illuminated, showcasing the power of storytelling through collective creativity.
Centrally located, with stunning onsite views; our facilities provide a remarkable and memorable location for conferences and events.
Inspire students with a learning visit at RBL National Remembrance Gardens (previously the National Memorial Arboretum)
Talk to our team today about our range of facilitated workshops help students of all ages interact with the subject of Remembrance.
Enquire today about our free programme of Activity Days, which explore topical themes and run throughout the year.
Schools are welcome to visit our grounds and deliver their own sessions, book in by completing our online booking form.
We welcome and encourage teachers and trainee teachers to visit our site as part of teacher training and CPD.
We work hard to maintain all areas to a high standard. To achieve this, we have expectations to ensure all visitors have an enjoyable visit.
Entry to the Royal British Legion National Remembrance Gardens is free, however we recommend booking your visit in advance to guarantee entry and save on our daily parking charge.
On Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 June, the National Memorial Arboretum will once again host a wide range of free, family activities to celebrate Armed Forces Weekend.
Today, the National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire, led the Nation in commemorating Armistice Day with a Service of Remembrance on the iconic Armed Forces Memorial. Attended by HRH The Princess of Wales, the service featured an Act of Remembrance, with a two-minute silence at 11am followed by wreath laying.
Thousands of members of the public gathered at the Arboretum to honour and remember the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community on Remembrance Sunday
Thousands of motorcyclists honour the fallen at the National Memorial Arboretum
Earlier today, the Royal British Legion, in partnership with the Government hosted 33 Second World War veterans as guests of honour at a Service of Remembrance at the base of the Armed Forces Memorial.
On Wednesday 20 August Charlie Inglefield and Ben Stallard will present ‘A Chaplain’s Portraits – The Story Behind the Artwork’.
The National Memorial Arboretum will serve as a poignant backdrop for the latest episode of BBC One's weekend favourite, 'Antiques Roadshow'.
The Arboretum has been awarded Green Flag status for the fifth consecutive year.
The National Memorial Arboretum, which is hosting a Service of Remembrance marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan) and the end of the Second World War, is encouraging members of the public to book their parking in advance to attend a live screening of the event on Friday 15 August.
Children from Home Ed-Venturers, an events group offering educational activities for home educated children and their families, participated in a learning activity day, creating art and poetry honouring Anne and her impact on the world.
Arji Manuelpillai, an acclaimed poet and performer with a passion for community arts, has been named the new Poet in Residence at the National Memorial Arboretum
On Thursday 8 May, the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, Baroness Floella Benjamin OM DBE hosted the Royal British Legion’s special VE Day Service of Remembrance.
On Friday 2 May, over 500 school children from across the midlands treated residents of Galanos House – a Royal British Legion care home – to VE Day inspired performances at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
National Memorial Arboretum Volunteers Honoured for Outstanding Contribution to Staffordshire with High Sheriff Award
Call for project partners to help preserve the memory of child victims of war and terrorism coincides with the 80th anniversary of the death of Anne Frank.
Members of the public are being encouraged to share letters from the Second World War for a new oral history project at the National Memorial Arboretum which is being developed in partnership with local BBC radio stations across the Midlands.
Whilst the Arboretum is a space where everyone can reflect throughout the year, during November we remember those in our Armed Forces who have served and sacrificed on behalf of our Nation in our Armed Services.
The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire has been awarded its first-ever ‘National Plant Collection’ status by Plant Heritage, recognising its conservation work on the Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) and Amelanchier genera. This designation helps secure the future of these plants and enhances the Arboretum’s standing as a key centre of horticultural excellence and biodiversity.
One of BBC Radio 4’s most iconic programmes, Gardeners' Question Time is set to visit the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
New commemorative exhibition transports visitors back to a year of seismic change, telling stories from home and away.
In 2024 we restored one of our most poignant and moving memorials. Donations funded the replacement of the 309 posts, representing each soldier shot, later pardoned, and now remembered at the Arboretum.
Families invited to celebrate launch of brand-new FREE Stick Man trail at the National Memorial Arboretum.
As part of our returning spectacular winter light trail Illuminated Arboretum, three new community-led art installations will be showcased as part of the Arboretum’s ‘Guiding Lights’ project.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal attended the Service of Remembrance on the iconic Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum.
To coincide with Black History Month, two interactive storytelling exhibitions created by award-winning social entrepreneur and artist Janet Douglas are on display at the National Memorial Arboretum.
On Sunday 6 August, thousands of people descended on the National Memorial Arboretum, in Staffordshire, to attend Carnival Windrush, an immersive and vibrant celebration of the Windrush Generation.
Shortly after sunrise, the lament of a lone piper could be heard across the Arboretum, as the Nation’s year-round place to Remember marked the 70th anniversary since the signing of an armistice that brought an end to the Korean War.
The National Memorial Arboretum, within the National Forest in Staffordshire, has been awarded a third consecutive Green Flag Award, a prestigious international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
Aspects at the National Memorial Arboretum named as VisitEngland’s Business Events Venue of the Year
National Memorial Arboretum partners with Black Voices to create ‘Sounds of Windrush’ commemorative programme for schools
Solar panel installation shines a light on National Memorial Arboretum’s commitment to sustainability.
A new Changing Places Toilet facility has recently been installed at the National Memorial Arboretum. The new toilet facility will help improve the visitor experience for people who require additional support that is not met by standard accessible toilets.
Today, in the week of the third anniversary of the first UK lockdown, a new ‘Trees of Life’ glade was dedicated at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, within the National Forest. The ‘Trees of Life’ glade is a living tribute to those who served our country throughout the pandemic, and to remember all those who died as a result of COVID-19 in the UK.
This morning, on the anniversary of the start of The Battle of Verdun in 1916, a pair of saplings, directly descended from an oak tree on the battlefield were planted here at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Today, on Armistice Day, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester completed the planting of 26 new Elm, Oak and Lime trees along the road leading to the National Memorial Arboretum, as a tribute to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Hundreds of pandemic key workers and members of the public gathered at Westminster Abbey for ‘Trees of Life’ - A Service of Remembrance with the blessing of saplings for a living memorial to honour those who served and died in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Memorial Arboretum, part of The Royal British Legion, joins the Nation, the Commonwealth and the rest of the World in mourning the death of Her Late Majesty The Queen. HM Queen Elizabeth the Second was Patron of the Royal British Legion and through it, the National Memorial Arboretum, and she was gracious and generous in providing her unstinting support over many years.
The sculpture offers a unique opportunity to celebrate individuals from all walks of life whilst supporting the invaluable work of the Arboretum, the UK’s year-round place to celebrate lives lived and commemorate lives lost in service.
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will visit the National Memorial Arboretum in the heart of the National Forest in Staffordshire on 20 July 2022, revealed as part of the full England route today.
Lockdown Landscapes will capture pandemic stories through art projects and engagement with communities.
The National Memorial Arboretum has opened a new free exhibition featuring frontline sketches of the Falklands War by Linda Kitson, who was appointed as the official war artist by the Imperial War Museum.
Presenter Ellie Harrison took viewers on a tour of the Nation’s year-round place to remember, exploring the importance of Remembrance and how volunteers are essential to the smooth running of the 150-acre garden and woodland site.
The 400th memorial has been dedicated at the National Memorial Arboretum
The Nation’s year-round place to remember now flies the flag as one of the country’s best parks, in a record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award, as the scheme marks its Silver Jubilee.
The National Memorial Arboretum, has launched a new augmented reality experience which takes families on a journey to learn about Our Everyday Heroes.
The National Memorial Arboretum, part of the Royal British Legion, joins the Nation, the Commonwealth and the rest of the World in mourning the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was a Life Member of the Royal British Legion and he was gracious and generous in his support of the National Memorial Arboretum over many years.
The 2019 Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism & Good Food Awards saw Aspects collect a Gold Award for Business Events Venue of the Year.
We are currently unable to take calls on our telephone line. If you wish to get in contact with our team, please email nrginfo@britishlegion.org.uk, or message us on Facebook or Instagram.
We apologise for any inconvenience.
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