Imperial War Museum

Photo of a Spitfire and Harrier in the museum Photo of a Spitfire and Harrier in the museum
Photo by me. Not a well framed picture.

Housed in the former Bethlem Royal Hospital, the Imperial War Museum covers 20th Century conflict involving the UK, having been founded to commemorate World War 1 in 1917.

The name may sound worrying but this is no jingoistic celebration of past glories. The first exhibit you’ll see is the remains of a civilian car destroyed in Baghdad. It stopped me in my tracks and does much to set the tone.

There are large galleries dedicated to both World Wars which are dense and sensitively curated. The surprise to me though was how terrifyingly current the cold war gallery feels.

I ended my visit at the Holocaust Galleries. I’d definitely go there last, however mentally prepared you might feel. The horror of it all extinguished any desire to see anything else.

Picture of a World War 2 Jeep with "British Red Cross" written on it. Picture of a World War 2 Jeep with "British Red Cross" written on it.
Photo by me, a Red Cross Jeep.
A video is projected onto an angular backdrop depicting advancing soldiers. A video is projected onto an angular backdrop depicting advancing soldiers.
Photo by me, a video display in the WW1 gallery.

Exhibitions

War and the Mind

This exhibition looks at how thought and emotion shape responses to conflict, featuring personal items like a mitten from a British airman.

Free

Until

Conflict Health

Talks

My IWM: Rob Rinder

Rob Rinder discusses his documentary on his family’s Holocaust history and his dedication to Holocaust education.

£20.00

Conflict