Situated in the former Bethlehem Hospital for the insane is the Imperial War Museum, a fascinating insight into twentieth-century wartime England. The museum contains more than six million photographs and also houses armored vehicles, weapons, posters, badges and equipment from Britain’s recent conflicts.

The museum was founded in 1917. The museum is less a celebration of war, and more a tribute to the individuals who were involved –visitors are asked to experience the nightmarish day to day experiences of living in a WWI trench, or the claustrophobic tension of waiting for the all-clear sirens during the Blitz.

The exhibits and items on view are designed to illustrate how history’s recent battles have affected those normal people involved. A new exhibition opened in 2003 called ‘Women and War’- celebrating the often overlooked role of women during wartime. Despite the main body of the collection being in London- the Imperial War Museum has many other locations throughout the Country including HMS Belfast and the Cabinet War Rooms at Whitehall.

The museum is a powerful and emotional exhibit that stands as a poignant and brutal reminder during peacetime of the futility of war.

The Imperial War Museum is easily accessed via Lambeth North underground station and entry is free.