Essexgirl visits the Imperial War Museum - Part One

Today, Ratboy and I went to the Imperial War Museum, down Lambeth way. We will have to go back another day to see the rest of it. The admission to the main part (and most of the museum) is free of charge, and we spent about three hours and a half there and have only touched a bit od what interests us.

In the main atrium, as you enter, are displays of tanks, military vehicles (including an old London bus commandeered to transport soldiers in the first World War) and weaponry. There is also an interesting interactive submarine exhibit.

We also saw the fascinating, and moving Children's War exhibition, featuring pictures and displays of the life of evacuees, wartime propaganda posters, and toys, foods and clothes of the time. There is also a typical war time home on display. We both really enjoyed it and it would also be suitable for children.

After a visit to the nice cafe, we went to the Great Escapes, special exhibition, which we had to pay £6 each to enter. It was worth it though as we saw the wooden horse escape from Stalag Luft III and The Great Escape through the tunnel. Plus various escape stories from Colditz Castle.

After that we went to the Conflicts Since 1945 gallery, which (as the name suggests) depicts all the conflicts and wars since World War Two, such as Korea, The Gulf, the Suez Crisis and Northern Ireland amongst about a million others. Unfortunately the museum shut at 6pm so we had to leave India VsPakistann, skim over the rest of Asia, Cyprus and all the rest to leave.

We will be back another day, and this time I may take a camera.