Our collections

Everything we hold tells a story about the experiences of men, women and children caught up in conflict - from works by great artists, filmmakers and photographers to aircraft, tanks and firearms, and from intensely personal diaries, letters and keepsakes to pamphlets, posters and proclamations. These are among the most important personal, political, cultural and technological items held by any museum, nationally or internationally. Together, they reveal the experiences of conflict for the people who created, used and cared for them.

IWM’s collection covers all aspects of conflict involving Britain, its former Empire and the Commonwealth, from the First World War to the present day. As well as objects, it includes a range of media, from art, film and, photographs to printed materials, documents and sound.

The Museum’s own administrative records, dating from our foundation in 1917 are held by the Museum Archive.

IWM supports and encourages research into the collection, which is open to the public by appointment. You can find out more about accessing the collections on our Research Facilities page. 

You can also find out more about how we manage and develop our collections from conservation and digitisation, how we review the collection, and how to offer material.