We are open for business

We are continuing to run a licensing service but our staff are working remotely. Please contact us via email and we will get back to you as soon as possible, making every effort to get the collection items you need. Every licence supports the Imperial War Museums.

IWM has a unique collection covering all aspects of twentieth and twenty-first century conflict involving Britain, the Commonwealth and other former Empire countries. The collection is an unparalleled resource for understanding contemporary warfare and its impact on individuals, communities and nations.

Many of the materials from the IWM's image, sound and film collections are available to license for a range of purposes including publishing, advertising and broadcast media. Our licensing teams are available to provide additional assistance.

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Popular Themes

  • Imperial War Museums First World War archive licensing
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    First World War

    Explore our First World War collections 

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  • Battle of Britain pilots with a dog Imperial War Museums image licensing
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    Battle of Britain

    As we mark the 80th anniversary, explore our Battle of Britain collections

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  • VE Day colour photograph crowds on Whitehall by cenotaph 1945 Imperial War Museums archive licensing
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    VE Day

    As we mark the 75th anniversary, explore our VE Day collections

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Licensing and Policies

  • Policies

    If you have not licensed content from us before, please read through our policies for information regarding:

    • Advertising 
    • Colourisation
    • Fees
    Read Terms and Conditions
  • Types of Licence

    There are two licensing options, please read the following information to determine which licence applies to you. A small minority of our collection items are not available under the non-commercial licence due to copyright being held by a third party. 

     

    Non-Commercial Use

     

    Commercial Use

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Please read through our Frequently Asked Questions for information regarding: 

    • Searching collections
    • Formats
    • Delivery

     

    Read FAQs

Related Content

Collections online
Explore around 800,000 items that tell the story of modern war and conflict, collected by the museum since 1917.
Churchill War Rooms Interior Hall
IWM, Churchill War Rooms Corridor
Commercial filming locations
Our locations provide commercial film, TV, photography and creative advertising shoot experiences that engage emotions and tell many different stories.
Actor Gary Oldman visits Churchill War Rooms during promotion for his film Darkest Hour
Actor Gary Oldman visits Churchill War Rooms, researching his role in Darkest Hour
Curator Consultancy
IWM is a leading authority on conflict and its impact, focusing on Britain, its former Empire and the Commonwealth, from the First World War to the present. IWM’s curators are experts in their field and can provide reliable guidance and information for commercial projects such as feature films, documentaries and consumer products.