Lambeth North or Elephant & Castle

The Imperial War Museum is open daily 10am to 6pm. Entry is FREE.

020 7416 5000

The Imperial War Museum was first opened in 1917 to commemorate and honour those who had died in the First World War, even though the war had not ended at that time. From there it has grown into a truly insightful museum exploring the conflicts of the 19th century, primarily those affecting Great Britain.

At the Imperial War Museum there is a vast array of things to be seen, all of them poignant in their own way. From one of the country’s best photographic archives, to weapons, armour and spy gadgets; from personal accounts of war, to art work, war memorabilia and medals. There are permanent galleries at the museum, which include an exhibition on the holocaust of World War Two, and a Large Exhibits Gallery that showcases some of the most important weapons in the world.

There are First World and Second World War Galleries, exploring the political reasons behind the wars and their beginnings, as well as a gallery on conflicts since 1945. There is a section of the museum devoted to ethnic wars, like crimes against humanity such as genocide. There is also a gallery named ‘Secret War’. This is devoted to the world of espionage; the organisations and of course the gadgets that make covert operations so covert!

The Imperial War museum also has some great temporary exhibitions too. For example, a devoted look at James Bond commemorates Ian Fleming’s work on our favourite secret agent. Wars as told through the eyes of children, and black soldiers’ involvement in the two major World Wars are all on the table for some of these fantastic temporary shows.

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