Almost as good as my collection...
Almost as good as my collection...
IWM is always on my list when I'm in London, which isn't often to be honest.
It's one of my favourite Museums
I wonder if they still have the WW2 Blitz display??
It was a shelter with a audio recording of people talking while the bombs were being dropped..
Just like my GrandFather told me all those years ago, he was a Warden and told loads of stories.
I should start by saying that this is not a response to the excellent post by Lizardking of late 2016 but it is on the same subject so rather than start a totally new thread I’ve decided to keep everything under one roof. The aforementioned post is beautifully illustrated by numerous high quality photographs, describing his 6 hour visit…..yesterday I was there for just over 60 minutes.
It might help if we kick off with the dictionary definition of a Museum – “Building where objects of historic, scientific or artistic interest are kept and shown.”
My visit yesterday was my first visit since the £40m refurbishment which was completed in 2014 (I think). My memories of earlier visits rang in my head….a higgledy piggledy pile of stuff, crammed in with scarcely enough space to be able to get that really quite rare Jagdpanther or possibly unique Command M3 in the camera viewfinder…having to weave through huge chunks of metal to get to cabinets which were stuffed with stuff (technical term!).
Having undergone the usual (sadly) bag search at the door, still being surprised that entry is free, I walked into its cathedral-like atrium. The refurbishment work is breath-taking all centred around a multi-storied open space of steel, glass and concrete…something we see every week on TV programmes hosted by Kevin McCloud and George Clark. As one looks up, one notices that a “snatch” Landrover and a manned torpedo appear to be balancing precariously over the edge of upper floors, cleverly (and securely) held in place, linking the open space of the atrium to the upper levels.
I was taken aback by the design…..and also by my ability to see so much of it…for what was once a crammed busy space full of “stuff” (I’ll stick with that description) of all sizes is now open spaces…pleasant spaces to walk….a place which appears to have a much reduced collection of big stuff whilst having gained an incredibly large collection of TV/video/projection screens and beautifully crafted glossy white boards containing the odd paragraph of information. Now, I’m getting on a bit, but even I know that one can watch virtually any filmed sequence on their smartphone nowadays or look up words via the likes of Google….but, with the exception of Bovington’s attempt to digitise a Sturm Tiger, you can’t (yet) see REAL stuff without….errrr…..seeing real stuff.
It’s about now that I should perhaps register that my particular interests are helmets (especially Home Front) and Tanks….this will become relevant shortly.
I did find two WW2 tanks…the two most produced tanks of the war (M4 & T34)….both such vehicles one can see (privately owned) at many of the Summer’s weekend Shows/Fairs….certainly NOT the Jagdpanther or the M3 which sat proudly there when I visited previously (and yes, I know they’re still around…..at Duxford…..with the other…..errr….planes)
I went to the Home Front section….house mock-ups mildly interesting…..and then five Home Front helmets….in a beautiful glass cabinet which could easily house 25-30 lids…and the IWM have much rarer ones than those 5 on display…they’re probably languishing in boxes somewhere.
This was my feeling time and time again…..for those old enough to remember…”where’s the beef?”
Now the thought provoking and deeply moving Holocaust collection and the “Secret War” sections have to be excluded from my rant…indeed, the latter looks like I remember the whole museum…crammed with “stuff” and minimal projections, TVs etc….
I also learned why there’s no entrance fee….with a shop, worthy of Habitat, on every floor presumably the funds are flowing in.
In the last 2 months I’ve toured War / Military museums in Vietnam, Holland, and others in the UK…they’re all exhibit-heavy…I can get the rest from the web. Lord knows what will happen if the rumoured sell-off of Hendon goes ahead and the collection is spread elsewhere…..I can see a Spitfire and numerous projections replacing the very fine Battle of Britain collection.
I heard from a fellow collector a while ago who claims to have spoken to senior folk at IWM and being told that “museums aren’t for people like you”…..they’re clearly not if they look like this one.
My day was summed up when a group of hi-vis tabard-wearing school kids pushed in front of me (in twos of course) …..and I overheard one whisper to another…”where’s all the war stuff?”…out of the mouths of babes…….
Perhaps that dictionary definition should be altered to read “architecturally stunning space, uncluttered by objects of historic, scientific or artistic interest and a Youtube / Internet wannabe”
…..I now know why ones bags are searched upon entry……they’re worried that you may be trying to take exhibits IN to the museum………
Yeh, waste of nice space, much what I thought when last I went.
Regards,
Jerry
Whateverits just an opinion.
Its sad though isn't it....had you been pre-butchery...errr....pre re-furb??? it's now such a beautiful space...like a rich guys pad....with the occasional "piece" dotted here and there...more like a gallery than a museum...but I guess that comes down to ones take on a "museum".
I had, just wonderful before the "upgrade".....strangely full of objects in the old days.by Composite
Regards,
Jerry
Whatever
I have to agree with the aforementioned statements.
I visited the museum twice, once before it was remodelled (2010) and once afterwards (2015). Now, it's not that I think anything is wrong with the museum post-refurb (there are still plenty of excellent exhibits to look at and it's a recommended place to visit any day), but I too caught myself constantly looking for so many exhibits that I distinctly remembered from my first visit and which were now sadly missing. It certainly lacked that constant "WOW effect" I felt during my first visit, when something great/rare/unique/curious was to be discovered with every step I took and was much less, for lack of a better word, charming.
Note to curators of military museums: Don't bother with un-cluttering your places. Just give me a cramped museum space stuffed to the rafters any day; I'll select what I want to look at.
I have to concur with the comments made thus far. I have fond memories of the Imperial War Museum in its old format from when I was a small child. I particularly remember the WWI trench and Blitz experiences. The tanks arrayed in the lobby, the planes hanging from the ceiling. Imagine my disappointment when I visited again in 2016.
I simply cannot believe that such a large sum of money has been spent on turning a museum into a glorified art gallery. The exception to this rule, for me at least, is the new WWI exhibition, which is in-depth and offers a comprehensive collection of artefacts to look at.
I was shocked to discover that there is no longer an exhibition dedicated to the Second World War, arguably one of if not the most influential and important conflicts of the last century, perhaps of all time. Instead, there are a few artefacts scattered in a disorganised and non-chronological fashion around one of the balconies.
I understand the emphasis on showcasing more recent conflicts, but it seems to me that this museum has been turned into something intended to make a political statement of some kind. Apart from the Holocaust exhibition, which remains untouched, it seems that the whole thing has been sanitised in a way that seems synonymous with the 21st Century.
I tell anyone thinking of visiting one of two things. If they've never visited it before the remodel, I tell them it's worth the trip. If they have fond memories of the place before it was gutted by the refit, I sadly advise them not to bother. There are still some things worth seeing there, and the free entry is an excellent plus, but this museum is now a mere shadow of its former self. Whoever was in charge of this remodel should be utterly ashamed.
Regards, B.B.
Hello everyone,
I could not agree more with Composite... a tragic and disgusting waste of what was once a truly great museum.
Again, the last time I went, I was in and out in a flash. A large, open area with a few bits in it, and a crowd of jostling kids around the single board with numbered captions to all the items at one end!? Fine if you already know what you're looking at.
Conversely, we went on to the Science Museum and got kicked out at the end of the day... and we'd barely seen half of it! Returned the next day and spent most of it to see the rest. Now that's a Museum!
If you want to see a 'proper' WW2 museum, then you have to go to Diekirch, Luxembourg... absolutely crammed with 'stuff', just like they all used to be.
All the best to all,
Bob
I have to agree with the aforementioned posts - it's not what it used to be - way too sterile now.
Their WW1 exhibition was still good, but there seemed to be a lack of WW2 items. In fact a lack of items in general.
I thinking of heading of to RAF Hendon on Sunday - this used to be crammed full of aircraft so I hope they haven't changed it too much.
I've read that the Short Sunderland is no longer on display which is frustrating. I'll create a new thread with photos when I go.
Nick
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