Second World War and The Holocaust Galleries – Imperial War Museum, London

In 2021, the Imperial War Museum in London opened their doors to two new galleries focused on the Second World War and The Holocaust. These new permanent exhibitions brought to the public domain unseen objects and stories from these moments in history in an engaging and thought provoking way. In 2014, to mark the Centenary of the First World War a new permanent exhibit opened in place of the older display with a new open design and feel. In keeping with this style, the new Second World War exhibit shares a similar tone and direction, bringing to life the history of the events with digitised imagery and displays beside traditional exhibits and items. It feels engaging and relevant, an emphasis to craft a wider narrative with a broader focus on a wide range of accounts and voices. It is designed very much to emphasise the ‘experience’ of the events.

An approach used in many new museums today, an exhibit of ‘experiences’ that serve to ground the visitor in the moment, in the present tense with a narrative structure that avoids controversy and disagreement by avoiding interpretation of historical events and simply presenting personal experiences and discourse from those who witnessed the turning points of the World at War. Through the use of touch screen interfaces, interactive audio and visual elements, it presents these historical events in a modern interpretation creating almost a sensory experience that engages the visitor more than static cases ever could. One area has a reconstruction of a traditional British home visitors are able to pass through with a digitised ceiling with the shadows of bombers passing over that grows darker to simulate the appearance of London during the blitz. An experience of life on the Home Front.

In concertation with this exhibit is a newly designed gallery on the Holocaust that intersects the Second World War exhibit towards its conclusion. This new permanent exhibition replaced the old gallery and visually, passing through and experiencing this new area you are aware it is more brighter with the use of lighter colours in contrast to the dark tones from its former appearance. It felt there was more of a focus on the personal accounts of those that survived and perished during this period of history, no less moving or poignant but a more personal narrative in how it is curated. The opening rooms have a greater focus on bringing to life the personal accounts and experiences of those that survived this dark chapter in history, it gives a voice to those that were just pictures or images before and was a moving and humbling experience. It concludes in a similar way, an open space to sit down and listen to the accounts of those that experienced these events.

“At the centre of the brutal and barbaric conflict was the state sponsored mass murder of 6 million Jewish men, women and children. This is why we are placing IWM’s new Holocaust Galleries at the central chronological fulcrum of our iconic London museum and linking them, architecturally and conceptually, to our new Second World War Galleries. Our new galleries will be unique in presenting the complex narrative of the Holocaust and within the context of the Second World War.”
Diane Lees, IWM Director-General

These new permanent galleries are a world away from the tired and dated designs of what came before, the use of life sized models and recreated trenches consigned to history and replaced with a modern design and aesthetic. It uses, as noted a similar direction to the gallery opened in 2014, a clever touch in using projected imagery of the locations described on the walls to create the illusion of open natural spaces. The glass cabinets situated centrally with no solid backwall and full transparency, again creating the sense of an open environment to walk around. That sense of space is notable and allows the visitor to feel at ease. There is a pathway to follow both literally and from a narrative perspective but it’s a modern design with a contemporary message to convey, marginalised voices and accounts brought to prominence, the campaign in Asia a notable inclusion and a section from the USS Arizona, sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbour on display for the first time outside the United States a notable item on show.

With a more minimalist design aesthetic around fixed exhibits and a greater focus on visual elements there is the tendency to feel ‘too focused’ on the personal accounts and a slight restriction on the broader context and perspective. The prelude to and reason behind the conflict gives way in short order to the war on the Home Front and the devastation experienced during the blitz. By design, with the intention to conclude with a broader, global context towards the end. The gallery is situated on the space occupied by the old home front galleries, there’s a certain continuity here with it’s presence featured prominently. There is a concerted effort to give some contextual basis through audio and visual accounts with a notable inclusion of signed elements a nice addition, however certain aspects such as the African Campaign, the Battle in the Mediterranean or Life Under Occupation is relatively concise with only a single explanatory sign in each cabinet giving a contextual account.

The museum does benefit from being able to explore aspects of this war and conflict through its annexe sites in and around London, the airfield at Duxford for instance giving ample space to showcase the aerial and land campaigns from the perspective of the British and American armed services. Equally the naval campaign brought to life with a visit aboard HMS Belfast moored on the banks of the Thames. The rest of the museum in its current format does feel somewhat fragmented with exhibits presented with minimal context or reason, a frame from the wreckage of the World Trade Centre close to a Sonar Station and a Bomber cockpit. It’s curated to showcase a broad sample of the history of British conflicts however it can feel a little disjointed. This tighter focus on a specific period of time provides some cohesion and manages to convey the broad narrative of events in a concise manner.

The focus on the personal stories from different voices is more poignant as we move towards a point in time when the events of this particular conflict and the holocaust will pass from living memory, relying on these accounts to preserve their memories for generations hence. Though the two galleries have a distinct narrative and design of their own, there is a point of connection between them over the two floors that was an interesting design element and choice. The emblem of the fallen German eagle below that became a visual landmark in history as the Allied forces entered Berlin visible from the gallery above detailing the activities and crimes of the Nazi forces. It attempts to highlight life under occupation and the genocide of the Holocaust in a more personal and impactful manner. Giving a voice to those who perished, holding to account those that committed these acts.

The new galleries will reveal how whole societies were drawn into the war through mobilisation, direct attack and occupation. The galleries will begin by exploring how during the 1930s the signs that war was coming grew ever more apparent. They will then continue into Britain and its empire’s early experience of the war, before showing how the Second World War became a truly global conflict in 1941. The galleries will highlight what led to the Allied victory in 1945 and explore the aftermath of what was the most devastating war in human history
Press Release

It’s message, and the way it elevates and enshrines the personal narratives of those who lived through these events is potent and humbling. The Holocaust exhibit was a moving experience, reconceptualised away from the dark rooms and corridors of similar galleries in Europe with the visual imagery of the interment camps scaled back to a degree and more emphasis on the human cost of this terrible event in living memory. Real stories and accounts brought to the public domain in a laudable and emotive way before they pass into memory. And a greater emphasis to highlight more forgotten and marginalised voices from this conflict, the role of women and those across the Commonwealth given a greater prominence. It encourages and challenges you to look at these events from different perspectives, to draw your own conclusions.

From when it first opened, the Imperial War Museum was conceptualised to preserve the memory and history of the nation at war. It’s grandiose exterior eludes to this objective however within is a clean, modern design with items showcased to highlight the broad history of conflict. Now home to three modern and contemporary galleries that bring to life the great conflicts and consequences of the last century. Whether there is scope to bring to life conflicts from the modern day is open to debate, certainly other institutions already serve this function to an extent. What is prevalent however, especially with the rise of authoritarian states and the marginalisation of groups in recent years, the need to preserve and learn the lessons from history to ensure they don’t happen again.

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