Imperial War Museum London

Imperial War Museum London
#12

⭐ Highligts

Atrium Icons

Full-size aircraft and missiles

Suspended exhibits include a Spitfire, Harrier jet and V-2 rocket, charting aviation from 1940s dogfights to Cold War technology.

Start on the ground, then view from upper balconies.

📍 Main Atrium

WWI Galleries

Life on the Western Front

Thousands of objects and films recreate 1914-1918 trenches, rationing and the global scale of the conflict.

Follow the timeline; pause at personal letters and diaries.

📍 Level 0

WWII Galleries

Global war, 1939-1945

Updated galleries explore Blitz aftermath, home front resilience and technology from Enigma to radar.

Compare artefacts from Axis and Allied perspectives side by side.

📍 Level 1

Holocaust Galleries

Deep, survivor-led narratives

Opened in 2021 alongside new WWII spaces, these galleries trace events through testimony, documents and objects.

Allow quiet time; read survivor stories without rushing.

📍 Upper levels

Art of War

War artists’ striking visions

Paintings and prints from 1916 onward show how artists processed conflict, from Nash to Piper and beyond.

Stand back to read composition; then zoom into brushwork.

📍 Temporary and core displays

Opening Hours

Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00
Monday: 10:00 – 18:00
Tuesday: 10:00 – 18:00
Wednesday: 10:00 – 18:00
Thursday: 10:00 – 18:00
Friday: 10:00 – 18:00
Saturday: 10:00 – 18:00

The Imperial War Museum tells modern conflict through people, choices and consequences-not hardware alone. Begin in the cavernous atrium under a Spitfire, Harrier and a V-2, then descend into the First World War's mud and letters. The new Second World War and Holocaust Galleries use testimony and everyday objects to rebuild lives fractured by policy and violence. It's free to enter, but the content is intense; give yourself unhurried time and quiet breaks. Families will find interactives, yet much lands best with teens and adults. Follow the floor sequence-WWI, then WWII and the Holocaust-to feel how ideas escalate. Two to three hours is a minimum; longer if you read closely and reflect.

📖 Wikipedia🌐 WebsiteGoogle Maps

🤓 Fun Facts

Founded in 1917, the museum began collecting while the First World War was still being fought.

IWM London is one of five branches, alongside IWM Duxford, HMS Belfast, Churchill War Rooms and IWM North.

The new Second World War and Holocaust Galleries opened together in 2021 after a major redevelopment.

A German V-2 rocket on display represents the world’s first long-range guided ballistic missile (first used 1944).

The main atrium regularly displays a Battle of Britain-era Supermarine Spitfire.

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