About
The Imperial War Museum in London houses one of the world's most significant collections relating to conflict from the First World War to the present day. Founded in 1917 while the Great War still raged, IWM tells the stories of people who have lived, fought and died in conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth.
The museum's striking building - originally the Bethlem Royal Hospital ('Bedlam') - is dominated by iconic 15-inch naval guns from HMS Ramillies and HMS Resolution.
Through powerful exhibitions featuring personal stories, historic objects, photographs, film, sound recordings and art, IWM explores how war has shaped lives and continues to affect us today. The internationally acclaimed Holocaust Exhibition provides a solemn and essential testimony to Nazi persecution.
Immersive First World War Galleries bring that conflict to life through individual stories.
From Spitfires to spy equipment, from soldiers' letters to contemporary art, IWM preserves memory and provides context for understanding conflict's enduring impact on society.
Categories:
Annual Visitors (2019)
1,000,000
Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Busiest: Saturday, Sunday
💡 Weekday mornings for quieter experience, especially for Holocaust Exhibition
💡 Visitor Tips
- Allow at least 3-4 hours to see the main permanent galleries properly
- The Holocaust Exhibition requires 60-90 minutes - emotionally demanding but essential viewing
- Visit on weekday mornings for quieter galleries, especially important for the Holocaust Exhibition
- Start on the ground floor with First World War Galleries to experience the chronological narrative
- The atrium with suspended aircraft is spectacular from all floors - look up!
- No photography is permitted in the Holocaust Exhibition
- Free cloakroom for bags and coats - recommended as galleries can be warm
- Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park next door provides a peaceful space to reflect after your visit
Highlights
The Holocaust Exhibition
This internationally acclaimed permanent exhibition provides a solemn and essential testimony to the Nazi persecution and murder of Europe's Jews from 1933 to 1945. Using historical material including photographs, documents, film and artifacts recovered from concentration camps, alongside personal testimonies from survivors, the exhibition tells the story of Nazi anti-Semitism, the ghettos, deportations, and the Final Solution.
The exhibition includes disturbing historical footage and a section showing a pile of shoes belonging to people murdered at Majdanek death camp.
This powerful memorial ensures the Holocaust is neither forgotten nor repeated. Recommended for visitors aged 14+.
First World War Galleries
Opened in 2014 for the war's centenary, these immersive galleries explore the conflict that shaped the modern world.
Through personal stories of soldiers, nurses, and civilians from across Britain and the Commonwealth, the galleries show how the war was experienced by individuals. See a Mark V tank, walk through a trench recreation with authentic smells and sounds, examine weapons and uniforms, view art by official war artists, and discover stories through letters, diaries and photographs.
Interactive displays explore tactics, technology, and the war's lasting impact on society, politics, and culture.
Spitfire and Lancaster Bomber in the Atrium
The dramatic atrium showcases iconic aircraft suspended from the ceiling. The Supermarine Spitfire Mark IA - one of the most famous fighters of WWII that helped win the Battle of Britain - shares space with an Avro Lancaster bomber, the RAF's main heavy bomber that flew over 156,000 sorties. Also suspended are a V-2 rocket (Hitler's vengeance weapon), a Harrier jump jet, and other historic vehicles.
The sight of these massive aircraft 'flying' overhead is unforgettable and demonstrates the scale of military technology.
Secret War: Life Behind the Secrets
Explore the covert world of espionage, code-breaking, and special operations from World War I to the present day. Discover real spy stories including SOE agents in occupied Europe, codebreakers at Bletchley Park, Cold War espionage, and modern counter-terrorism. See genuine spy equipment including concealed cameras, cipher machines (including an Enigma machine), hidden weapons, disguises, and secret documents.
Interactive displays let you try code-breaking and analyze intelligence scenarios.
Collections
IWM holds over 800,000 items documenting conflict from 1914 to the present. Major collection areas include: over 15 million photographs (one of the world's largest photographic archives); 25,000 hours of film and video footage; 16,000 hours of sound recordings including oral histories; 200,000 documents and letters; 8,000 works of art including the world's largest collection of British war art; military equipment from both World Wars; firearms, uniforms, medals, and personal items; propaganda posters and ephemera.
The collections document British and Commonwealth experiences across all services and the Home Front.
First World War Galleries
Comprehensive exploration of WWI through personal stories and historic objects
📍 Ground Floor
The Holocaust Exhibition
Testimony to Nazi persecution and genocide (14+ recommended)
📍 Third and Fourth Floors
Secret War
Espionage and special operations from WWI to present
📍 First Floor
Second World War Galleries
Britain's experience of WWII 1939-1945
📍 Ground and First Floors
Conflicts Since 1945
Post-war conflicts involving Britain
📍 Third Floor
Curiosities of War
Surprising objects revealing unexpected war stories
📍 Second Floor
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.