London’s New House of Secrets Museum Opens, 21 July 2026
Trent Park House of Secrets in London opened on 21 July 2026 – a new museum which will reveal the incredible story of the WWII ‘Secret Listeners’ – a story which has remained hidden for over 70 years.
Following the meticulous restoration of one of London’s grandest houses, visitors will journey through magnificently restored and furnished rooms that were the backdrop to Sir Philip Sassoon’s socialite and political world, where he hosted some of the most influential statesmen, journalists, royalty and politicians in the 1930s.
Following Sassoon’s death in 1939, Trent Park House began its second chapter as a wartime surveillance centre. The new museum will unveil the extraordinary story of the ‘Secret Listeners’ – intelligence operators hidden in the basement – whose eavesdropping of senior German prisoners led to some of the most important intelligence breakthroughs of WWII.
The opening is the culmination of a campaign more than twelve years in the making. What began as a determined effort to save this house and its story has, through the dedication of the local Enfield community, campaigners, volunteers, funders, and many individuals and charitable trusts become the museum you can step into today.
Dr Giuseppe Albano MBE, Director, Trent Park House of Secrets, said: “Most people will come to Trent Park to discover the covert intelligence operation that took place here during the Second World War. What I hope will surprise them is that there is so much more to discover. Before the war, these rooms played host to conversations between politicians, royalty, writers and artists at a moment when Europe stood on the brink of conflict. We have taken great care to reveal the full significance of the house, weaving together stories from some of the most colourful and turbulent years of twentieth-century British history.”
Lord Cholmondeley and Jason Charalambous, Co-Chairmen, Trent Park Museum Trust, said: “After a decade of fundraising and restoration works, we are thrilled that these extraordinary stories can finally be revealed to inspire and inform the next generation. We are grateful to our dedicated and committed team, our generous donors, and the countless supporters who have helped us open Trent Park House for all to enjoy.”
Helen Lederer, writer and comedian, whose grandfather was a Secret Listener, Trustee, Trent Park Museum Trust, said: “The fact that my grandfather was a Secret Listener was a secret he took to the grave. It means so much that this chapter of little-known history can be told through the museum. To imagine what the Secret Listeners may have felt as they listened to the captive generals upstairs is as important as it is humbling.”