IW

Imperial War Museum

Comprehensive collection covering conflicts from WWI to present day, including Churchill War Rooms and HMS Belfast.

Imperial War Museum

About

Suspended Spitfires and V-1 bombs greet visitors, but this former psychiatric hospital explores war's human cost more than military glory. From WWI trenches to contemporary conflicts, the museum confronts how war shapes societies, families, and minds—making the location's history as Bedlam asylum unexpectedly appropriate.

Conflict's Human Face

WWI galleries immerse visitors in trench warfare through soundscapes, testimonies, and artifacts that convey unprecedented horror. The Holocaust Exhibition (14+) systematically traces persecution to genocide through personal stories. Lord Ashcroft Gallery displays Victoria Crosses within broader context—heroism amid tragedy.

Contemporary conflicts from Korea to Afghanistan show warfare's evolution. Secret War reveals espionage's impact from Enigma to modern surveillance. Multiple perspectives include enemy voices, civilian experiences, and moral complexities.

Learning from History

Terraced Galleries explore war's impact on daily life—rationing, evacuation, propaganda. Handling sessions let students touch history. The vast photograph archive serves global researchers. Special exhibitions tackle refugees, terrorism, and peace-building.

Free entry, some exhibitions charged. The Holocaust Exhibition requires emotional preparation. Family activities balance education with age-appropriateness. The café offers respite between heavy topics. Book group visits for enhanced interpretation of this essential, difficult history.