Imperial War Museums

Imperial War Museums explores conflict and its impact on people’s lives.

IWM is a family of five museums recording and showcasing experiences of modern conflict. Some of those experiences paint a picture of everyday life in wartime, others give us a glimpse of something exceptional. All of them help us to explore the causes of war and its impact on people’s lives.

About us

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Take a virtual tour of the American Air Museum

Take a virtual tour of the American Air Museum

Learn more about our incredible collection of American aircraft and discover powerful personal stories of lives shaped by war in this new 360 tour of the American Air Museum at Duxford.

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Explore our Collection

Destroyers filled with evacuated British troops berthing at Dover, 31 May 1940.

Explore our Collection

Our museums may be closed but you can still explore our collection online. Search thousands of photographs and objects documenting conflict since 1914.

Search our collection

This Week in Adventures in History

Adventures in History: Life Under The Sea graphic

This Week in Adventures in History

This week Adventures in History dives beneath the waves to find out about life aboard a submarine.

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Learning Activities and Resources

IWM has a range of learning resources to keep children occupied over the coming weeks, including our new Adventures in History and Family Mission series.

IWM

The 1940s House

Adventures in History: Painting Life

Troops of 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade disembarking with bicycles onto Juno Beach

What was D-Day?

Featured Stories

A truck of revellers passing through the Strand, London, 8 May 1945.

Second World War

What You Need To Know About VE Day

8 May 1945 – VE (Victory in Europe) Day – was one that remained in the memory of all those who witnessed it. It meant an end to nearly six years of a war that had cost the lives of millions; had destroyed homes, families, and cities; and had brought huge suffering and privations to the populations of entire countries.

Savile Row tailors working on military clothing including a naval officer’s jacket, 1944.

Second World War

Manufacturers Answer The Call: WWII And The Covid-19 Crisis

During WWII, car manufacturer Vauxhall started producing the Churchill tank, Burberry turned to uniforms and the food industry created tinned powered eggs to meet demands. While we're not eating tinned eggs yet today, a number of the same companies are helping combat coronavirus.

Shop sign reading “Yes we have No Bananas”

Second World War

The Nation At Standstill: Shutdown In The Second World War

Britain went into lockdown in March 2020, but it wasn't the first time. On 1 September 1939, Blackout policies were introduced across the nation, along with a number of other extreme measures.

Support Us

As a charity, now more than ever IWM needs your support to ensure we can continue to tell personal stories and experiences of conflict for current and future generations to come.

Imperial War Museums