Commercial filming locations

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.
 

The Prime Minister was known to use it for work, to host meetings and for afternoon naps. 

The Cabinet Room is where Churchill, his key ministers, and advisers would meet with the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

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. 

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 is a London landmark. She is moored on the River Thames between Tower Bridge and London Bridge giving visitors panoramic views of the city.

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. 

The ship can offer a backdrop for scenes depicting life at sea with spaces including mess decks, a sickbay and galley available for filming. 

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.

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.

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. 

Film outside on deck for spectacular views of the River Thames and the city.

IWM London is located close to Waterloo and the building was formerly the central portion of Bethlem Royal Hospital. 

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

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. 

Objects from IWM's collections can be filmed on site in locations including the Dome, a space formerly used as a library. 

IWM Duxford is Europe’s largest air museum with over 300 aircraft and objects on display.

Get up close to aircraft from the First World War to the present day in our hangars, including AirSpace and our Conservation Hall. 

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.

This historic cinema space can still project film and appeared in Secrets of the Imperial War Museum (Channel 5). 

Duxford played a crucial role in the Battle of Britain and the 1940s Ops Block is recognisable from wartime photographs of the space. 

There are opportunities to film around our working airfield and the mile long IWM Duxford site. 

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. 

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 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Our museum offers lots of scope for creativity - contact us to discuss your needs.