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IWM holds approximately 11 million photographs covering the cause, course and consequences of modern conflict from the First World War to present day.

Our collection primarily covers the activities of British and Commonwealth forces in times of conflict from official, press, and private perspectives. The collection includes international perspectives on war and conflict and includes military and civilian voices.

The photographs themselves are supplemented by original documents which help us understand how and why these photographs were taken.

The Archive still actively collects material. For more information on offering photographs to the museum see our offer material page.

Find out how to order and licence images, or order artistic prints. Please see our policy on colourisation.

New to Collections Online

New to Collections Online: the complete B and BU Series of British official photographs. These 23,000 cover the British Army, and Allied Operations in North-West Europe from D-Day on 6 June 1944 to December 1946 including aspects of the Allied occupation of Germany.

Explore the collection

More Collections

Second World War

Cecil Beaton: War Photographer

Cecil Beaton is chiefly remembered as the leading British portrait and fashion photographer of his day. Less well known is the fact that Beaton was one of Britain’s hardest working war photographers during the Second World War.