A visit to theImperial War Museum, London is not only educational, but also necessary.
Highlighting some of the darkest periods in human history, the Imperial War Museum succeeds in documenting some of the many wars and conflicts of past and modern times.
Imperial War museum in London: article summary
Imperial War museum in London: at a glance
The Imperial War Museum was opened to the public in 1920, when it was located in the Crystal Palace on Sydenham Hill.
Since then, the museum has been moved, relocated and renovated countless times, until it was finally transferred to its current location in the former Bethlem Royal Hospital on Lambeth Road.
The Imperial War Museum is in fact a "family" of five different museums, including :
- The Churchill War Rooms
- HMS Belfast
- Imperial War Museum North at Trafford
- Imperial War Museum Duxford
His many exhibitions cover everything from the First and Second World Wars to September 11, including the Falklands, Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia, Korea and many other wars.
The museum also focuses specifically on conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth, and even features exhibits on the role of women in wartime Britain.
What can you expect on site?
Even before entering the building, visitors are greeted with naval cannons, then enter the spectacular central hall featuring tanks, cannons and aircraft suspended from the ceiling.
The museum has numerous permanent galleries, some of which include the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, Extraordinary Heroes and Secret War.
However, the Holocaust exhibition is perhaps the most intimidating and a must-see for all visitors.
There's also an exhibition on "Crimes against humanity" which educates visitors about the horrors and atrocities of various genocides around the world, and also covers the beginnings of MI5, MI6 and Special Forces.
Imperial War museum in London: unique conferences
If you're lucky, during your visit, the museum can even organize a free lecture so that you can talk to people who have personally experienced conflict.
In addition to the many exhibits, displays and events in the museum, some of the many fascinating objects you can expect to see at the Imperial War Museum include:
- A piece of the Berlin Wall
- A small pair of children's shoes from one of the liberated Nazi concentration camps
- Suicide vest from a "potential" suicide bomber
- Collections of some of the first nuclear missiles
- An Argentinian operating table from the Falklands
- World War I trench recreations
- V-1 and V-2 rockets used by Germany to bomb London
- A Lancaster cockpit
A few more tips for visiting the site
If you want to see everything there is to see at the Imperial War Museum, be prepared to read, as each exhibit is packed with paragraphs of information.
Some areas of the museum lack appropriate signage, so try to follow the route indicated, since it's easy to get lost.
Imperial War museum in London: how to get there?
You can get there by public transport. You can take :
- Visit metro with Waterloo and Elephant and Castle stations
- Visit train the nearest station is Elephant & Castle
- Visit bus by lines 3, 12, 53, 59, 148, 159, 344, 360, 453 and C10.
How long does the tour last?
The recommended visit time is at least three hours, as there's a ton of material to read and look at.
The recommended length of visit for the First World War and Holocaust galleries is around 90 minutes each. try to book an extra hour for levels 1 and 2.
Some visitors may find the exhibits disturbing, and the Holocaust exhibit is not recommended for children under 14.
Imperial War museum in London: how much does admission cost?
Admission is free, but some temporary exhibitions may be subject to a charge.
What are the opening hours?
Imperial War Museum opens :
- Every day 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Imperial War Museum in London is not for everyone. However, it remains an important place to visit when in town.
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