IWM collects object and stories which help people to understand the human experience of war from the First World War to the present day. At our foundation in 1917 we collected material from the battlefields of the Western Front, and we still continue to collect objects from armed conflicts which are ongoing today.

We also commission artists and photographers to respond to and record conflict, and hold the national record of film and photographs produced by Britain's armed forces.

 

Recently collected objects
Find out more about some of the objects IWM has recently added to its collections.

Our collecting priorities

IWM's Collections Development Policy outlines the type of material IWM accepts into our collections, and our areas of focus for shaping them.

Our collections are managed by time period:

  • First World War and Early Twentieth Century (1900 to 1929)
  • Second World War and Mid-Twentieth Century (1929 to 1949)
  • Cold War and Late Twentieth Century (1949 to 2000)
  • Contemporary Conflicts (2001 to date)

Our Library collection includes printed material from the First World War to the present day that relates to history conflict and British and Commonwealth nations within this period. 

Across these time periods there are areas which are well developed and areas where the collections are less strong. Each department has its own strategies to build their collections. 

Human experiences of war and conflict

IWM has a strong interest in collecting material with personal connections. Some examples of material of most interest to us include:

  • Unofficial photographs and film, such as home movies and personal photo albums.
  • Objects and mementos with named provenance and, or stories associated with them.
  • Groups of objects which are linked by individuals or events.
  • Original artworks that reflect unusual experiences or viewpoints.
  • Private papers, diaries, journals.
  • Unpublished unit histories covering global forces.
  • Published personal experiences from UK and Commonwealth, especially recent material.

We also have an active oral history programme and welcome nominations to interview eye witnesses and veterans.

IWM does not collect

After over 100 years of collecting and with over 33 million items in our collections IWM must consider additions to our collections very carefully.  

Our priority is to collect original material, which was used or made during war and conflict and demonstrates the first-hand experiences of people who lived through these events.

IWM does not collect material with conditions attached that it must be displayed.

Copies and duplicates 

IWM’s collections are well-developed in certain areas, and we will only accept certain objects if they have unusual or interesting provenance. We are likely to hold several examples of: 

  • Postcards 
  • Scrapbooks 
  • Unpublished biographies or autobiographies 
  • Unpublished poetry 
  • Maps 
  • War Illustrated, The Great War, and other titles edited by John Hammerton 

Copies of British official material 

IWM is the place of deposit for film and photographs taken by the Ministry of Defence, and its predecessors, including the War Office, Air Ministry, Ministry of Aviation and the Admiralty, and other government departments relevant to IWM’s remit.  

We have been appointed by the UK Government to hold these records on behalf of the public since 1917. 

IWM have an established process to accept official transfers of material from the Ministry of Defence, so do not accept donations from the public of copy material. 

Other British official materials, like military service records, are already held on behalf of the nation by organisations like the National Archives. 

Material with tenuous links to war and conflict 

 Objects which are often not significant enough to warrant permanent preservation in IWM’s collections include: 

  • Training manuals 
  • Personal notebooks or exercise books 
  • Technical drawings 

IWM also does not collect material which illustrates themes of war and conflict, which otherwise has no tangible link to it including: 

  • Models or dioramas of aircraft, tanks, ships or battlefields which are custom-built (scratch-built) or made from commercially produced kits 
  • Aviation art, or other recently produced artworks in any medium depicting military themes and made by people with remote links to the subject 
  • DVD, VHS and Blu-ray copies of commercially produced films and documentaries 
  • Novels or stories set in times of war and conflict detailing fictional events or characters and written by people with remote links to the subject 
  • Mass-produced objects of a commemorative nature, such as souvenir glass wear or currency 
  • Material produced at, or for reunions of veterans or other interest groups 
  • Recently produced school textbooks 
  • Press cuttings 

Building our collections

Donate an Object to IWM

IWM welcomes gifts of historic material. Public generosity has helped to grow IWM's collections since our foundation in 1917.

The IWM Duxford Conservation Team removing wing bolts
IWM

Managing IWM's Collections

Find out how IWM safeguards its collections for future generations.

Collections online

Explore over 1 million items from IWM's collections that tell the story of war and conflict.