Museums | Airfield | Ship | Bunker
IWM has a number of UK commercial filming locations for TV, commercial film, photography and creative advertising shoot experiences that engage emotions and tell many different stories
We have diverse portfolio of filming spaces, including a wartime bunker, a Second World War battleship, an airfield and two stunning modern museums.
We also offer many behind-the-scenes areas and out-buildings, including a Second World War-era cinema, aircraft hangars, former chapels, basements, roofs with views of London, research rooms, archive stacks, and many corridors, fire exits and offices.
Contact our team:
Our filming team would be happy to discuss your project and filming at IWM.
IWM London, Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast: 0207 416 5392 or email [email protected]
IWM Duxford: 01223 499 308 or email [email protected]
IWM North: 01223 499 308 or email [email protected]
Churchill War Rooms
London
Second World War historic rooms providing period settings including winding corridors, operational map rooms, secret offices, period furniture and imposing desks.
Churchill War Rooms
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©IWM
Map Room
The War Rooms were a closely guarded secret during the Second World War. and provided a place for senior political and military leaders to coordinate the war effort.
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© IWM SITE CWR 207
Churchill's Bedroom
The Prime Minister was known to use it for work, to host meetings and for afternoon naps.
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Cabinet Room
The Cabinet Room is where Churchill, his key ministers, and advisers would meet with the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
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Corridors
Our commercial filming team can guide you through what is possible at Churchill War Rooms - from filming interviews in the atmospheric Switch Room to going behind the glass in the historic rooms.
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© Churchill War Rooms
Darkest Hour
Focus Films consulted IWM to meticulously recreate the War Rooms in a studio for the filming of Darkest Hour. Cast and crew got the chance to go behind the glass to visit the rooms and the site provided a back drop for a press interview with star Gary Oldman.
HMS Belfast
London
Historic ship and recognisable London landmark with original Engine Room, Admiral’s Bridge, radar and gun turrets, mess desks and hammocks, 1950s bunks and officer’s sea cabins, galley, hospital surgery and remembrance chapel.
HMS Belfast also provides a location backdrop to Tower Bridge, Tower of London, the vibrant South Bank and the City of London.
HMS Belfast
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© IWM
Iconic ship, iconic location
HMS Belfast is a London landmark. She is moored on the River Thames between Tower Bridge and London Bridge giving visitors panoramic views of the city.
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Nine decks
From the engine rooms in the bowels of the ship right up to the flag deck where signals were sent to allied forces, the ship provides a range of extraordinary locations for storytelling. The interior has appeared on screen in The Crown (Netflix) and Morbius (Sony Pictures).
The ship has also appeared in Only Fools and Horses (BBC), Outnumbered (BBC) and Don't Tell the Bride (E4). Find out more about HMS Belfast in popular culture.
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Life at sea
The ship can offer a backdrop for scenes depicting life at sea with spaces including mess decks, a sickbay and galley available for filming.
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Compass Platform
The Captain of the ship would have stood here - but we also have an Admiral's bridge, where he would have been able to oversee his fleet.
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Admiral's Quarters
HMS Belfast had accommodation for an Admiral as well as the Captain of the ship. From the D-Day landings and Arctic Convoys of the Second World War, to the Korean War and the peacekeeping commissions of the 1960s, no other vessel surviving in Britain today has seen historic events of the same magnitude.
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Bar with a view
The Bar at HMS Belfast is located above the main entrance to the ship, boasting views across to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
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River Thames
Film outside on deck for spectacular views of the River Thames and the city.
IWM London
London
Stunning modern museum interior with historic aircraft, large public areas and imposing staircases combined with ionic columned Georgian exterior and domed chapel.
IWM London
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IWM
Exterior
IWM London is located close to Waterloo and the building was formerly the central portion of Bethlem Royal Hospital.
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© IWM
Museum
The atrium at IWM London is a huge space with large objects that tell the story of conflict from the First World War to the present day. Displayed across six floors, IWM London’s vast collections encompass a wealth of objects – from uniforms to photographs, vehicles to films, weapons to works of art – and cover conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth
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©IWM, IWM London, First World War Galleries
Galleries
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© IWM
Behind the Scenes
We also have a range of rooms behind the scenes including corridors, offices and meeting rooms. These spaces have been used for filming interviews and hosting press junkets, including for the Peter Jackson film They Shall Not Grow Old.
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Access to collections
Objects from IWM's collections can be filmed on site in locations including the Dome, a space formerly used as a library.
IWM Duxford
Cambridgeshire
The best-preserved Battle of Britain airfield in Britain, we not only have a range of 1930s and 1940s buildings, but also house a variety of static and airworthy aircraft, as well as a large collection of military vehicles - some of which are in running condition.
Features include historic aircraft and hangars, cinema and 1940s operations Room. Fully operational control tower and airfield.
IWM Duxford
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© IWM Duxford
Airfield and museum
IWM Duxford is Europe’s largest air museum with over 300 aircraft and objects on display.
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Contemporary exhibition halls
Get up close to aircraft from the First World War to the present day in our hangars, including AirSpace and our Conservation Hall.
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Second World War site
At IWM Duxford you can step back in time and immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells experienced by those who served at Duxford during its time as a busy RAF airfield.
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Cinema
This historic cinema space can still project film and appeared in Secrets of the Imperial War Museum (Channel 5).
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Battle of Britain
Duxford played a crucial role in the Battle of Britain and the 1940s Ops Block is recognisable from wartime photographs of the space.
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Historic Aircraft
There are opportunities to film around our working airfield and the mile long IWM Duxford site.
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© IWM
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
The American Air Museum appeared in Warner Bros Wonder Woman 1984, with Diana and Steve Trevor (Gal Gadot and Chris Pine) walking through the museum before they steal a jet aircraft. The Grade II* listed space can also double for an airport waiting area and has views across the airfield.
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©Apple TV+
Masters of the Air (2024)
Playtone and Apple TV+ conducted research at IWM Duxford to develop their upcoming mini-series Masters of the Air. Scriptwriters and key members of the production team viewed IWM's B-17 Flying Fortress. As the most complete surviving example of its type, the aircraft was a crucial reference for the art department, in constructing life-sized replica aircraft used for filming.
IWM North
The Quays, Manchester
Remarkable modern architecture, stunning waterfront location, spectacular views. Impressive selection of historic objects and vehicles in large open plan museum galleries.
IWM North
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Exterior
IWM North was the first building in the UK designed by the internationally acclaimed architect, Daniel Libeskind, Shoots have included the filming of Paradox (BBC One), Waterloo Road (BBC One), photography for the new Citroen Picasso and photography for Adidas.
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© IWM – The Big Picture Show at IWM North
Atmospheric interior
Our main exhibition space features large objects like a Harrier jet and smaller showcases. Our space can also be transformed lighting and projections, using the technology that powers our immersive Big Picture Show.
Our approach is flexible and creative, whilst being sympathetic to our collections and visitors
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Exhibition space
Key objects at IWM North include the First World War field gun that fired the opening British round on the Western Front, contemporary artworks, and the twisted rust-ridden steelwork retrieved from the rubble of the World Trade Center in New York.
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Poppies
Poppies cascades down and pools within the unique architecture of IWM North’s Air Shard, combining the pieces from the 2018 artworks Poppies: Wave and Weeping Window.
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Flexible locations
We have an experienced locations team who will advise you of the most suitable location within and around our building for your desired shoot. As well as museum and exhibition spaces, our conference spaces can offer further options.
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©Jill Jenning
Unusual architecture
Our museum offers lots of scope for creativity - contact us to discuss your needs.
Our filming clients include: The One Show, Heir Hunters, The Apprentice, Strictly Come Dancing, Question Time, Who Do You Think You Are?, Newsnight, The Culture Show, ITV, Sky Sports, Five News, 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Stannah, Al Jazeera, Discovery, TVT Productions Ltd, UKTV and The Big Lottery Fund.
Other services
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Media Sales and Licensing
Contact us for high quality reproductions from IWM's unique collections, including photography, footage and oral history recordings, alongside research help and advice to support your licensing needs.
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Curator Consultancy
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.
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Independent Research
At IWM, we aim to provide the widest possible access to our outstanding collection, be that printed material, documents, sound, film, photographs or works of art. You can search our holdings through Collections Search or should you wish to visit us in order to consult items from the collection in more depth, we offer a range services at our Research Facilities.