Imperial War Museum London, National war museum in Southwark, London, United Kingdom
The Imperial War Museum London is a military history museum in Southwark, housed in a former hospital building with a striking dome and two wings. The halls display vehicles such as tanks and aircraft, while thematic galleries focus on the World Wars and later conflicts.
The government established the institution in 1917 to document Britain's role in the First World War and promote understanding of the impact of war. The building on Lambeth Road was occupied in 1936 after the former Bethlem Royal Hospital relocated to another site.
The galleries bring daily life during 20th-century conflicts closer to visitors, with letters, diaries, and personal belongings from soldiers and civilians. The name recalls the British Empire at the time of founding, while the collection today shows perspectives from different countries and social backgrounds.
Admission is free, and all floors are accessible by lifts, making the visit easier for wheelchair users and families with prams. Mornings and weekdays are quieter than weekend afternoons, when school groups and families fill the exhibitions.
The museum holds over 15,000 paintings, drawings and sculptures, including works commissioned at the front from painters William Orpen, Paul Nash, Muirhead Bone and Wyndham Lewis. The building itself is the former Bethlem Royal Hospital, and the Latin frieze over the portico reads HEN·V·REG·FUNDATVM·CIVIVM·LARGITATE·FELIX.
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