The Imperial War Museum was founded during WW1 as a celebration of British society and its sacrifices. It has five branches, including one in Manchester, and covers all wars involving the UK since 1914. The museum is free to enter in central and north London.
The Imperial War Museum is a series of historical museums located in and around London, England. The museum was founded during the First World War, when every aspect of life in Britain was heavily influenced by war. These museums were created as a celebration and testament to British society and its sacrifices to the war effort. The original location of the Imperial War Museum in central London has since been joined by four other locations. Both the original central London location and a new location in north London offer free admission, while visitors must pay to explore the other three branches.
In 1917, the British government authorized the first Imperial War Museum to serve as both a document of the war and a memorial to soldiers lost in battle. In 1936, the museum was relocated to a site near the former Bethlehem Royal Hospital where it remains to this day. In 1939, the government expanded the museum’s focus to incorporate World War II documents. By 1953, the Imperial War Museum’s mission had changed to focus on conflicts beyond the world wars. Since that time, the museum has kept records and exhibits of all the wars and conflicts involving the UK since 1914.
While many of the exhibits at the Imperial War Museum focus on WW1 and WW2, some exhibits are designed around the Cold War and more recent conflicts in the Middle East. Visitors can also find exhibits about the Korean War and other events involving British troops. The London Branch of the Imperial War Museum covers all of these wars and is the largest of the five branches.
A second branch, the Churchill War Rooms, features underground tunnels used by British troops during World War I and World War II. The exhibits in these tunnels focus on these two wars. HMS Belfast serves as the third branch of the Imperial War Museum. This warship is docked near London’s Tower Bridge and includes WWII-related displays.
The Imperial War Museum Duxford has exhibits relating to military aviation. The museum’s fifth branch, known as the Imperial War Museum North, is located in Manchester and features a wide variety of exhibits and themes. This north location is the only branch that was purpose-built to serve as a museum.
All branches of the Imperial War Museum are managed by a government-appointed board of trustees. As well as the permanent exhibitions, the museums also host a number of temporary or traveling exhibitions relating to the war and the United Kingdom.
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