Archive Category:
Behind the Scenes

Three civilians soak up the sunshine as they sleep in the sunshine in the comfort of deck chairs in Hyde Park, London. © IWM (D 15939)

As spring slowly rolls into summer the first brave sunbathers, sports teams and locals enjoying the sunshine emerged last weekend, tucking into ice creams in the park alongside the museum.

Although it’s always a bit galling to be able to see people eating ice creams, playing Frisbee and sunning themselves while we’re stuck in the office it has got us all excited about the new café at IWM London which opens in summer 2014.

Located on the west-side of the building the new café will open out into the park so we’ll be able to sit outside and enjoy a nice hot drink or grab a bite to eat before heading into the museum to explore the new galleries and displays.

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Merely to remind you that........TIME FLIES

Merely to remind you that……..TIME FLIES © IWM (Art.IWM PST 3703)

Summer is just around the corner and it is now only three months until we partially re-open on 29 July. To mark the three month countdown here’s a sneak peak what’s on from July at IWM London…

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IWM Youth Advisors in the Atrium during construction, April 2013

Hi, I’m Amelia. I’m currently undertaking a student volunteer placement at IWM London and was lucky enough to join the IWM Youth Advisors Ruben, Elana, Zipporah, Kevin and Josiah for their April meeting. This was a packed day focusing on the changes that the museum is currently undergoing.

We started with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour led by Geoff Burningham, Senior Construction Manager. It was a brilliant chance to see first-hand the redevelopment of the museum. It was amazing to see how much the museum has already changed and to use our imaginations to picture what it will look like in the future.

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IWM Young Reporters at Lambeth College Radio

This term IWM Young Reporters from local Archbishop Sumner School and Oasis Academy Johanna have been making exclusive behind-the-scenes podcasts about Transforming IWM London.

Sixty Year 5 students took on different roles including researchers, technical assistants, interviewers, roving reporters and presenters.  They worked together with IWM learning officers to plan and present a series of six exciting podcasts and even recorded their own jingle!

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545x385 IWM London Atrium floor architects' drawing with notes

An early version of the proposed floorplan of IWM London’s transformed Atrium space with our notes included.

When it came to modelling which objects would be selected for our transformed Atrium and where they would be displayed, it soon became clear that neither glue or tape or tack would work.  

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Designs for the new First World War Galleries by Casson Mann © IWM

A design concept for the groundbreaking new First World War Galleries which will use contemporary voices in new and innovative ways. Design by Casson Mann © IWM

I hope you people at home are not madly optimistic about the chances of an early peace.

So wrote 2nd Lt Frank Warren from France on 15 October 1918. He was probably aware from the newspapers that Germany had requested an armistice twelve days previously, but he did not guess that within a month the war would be over.

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P51D Mustang being prepared for lowering at IWM London in December 2012

P51D Mustang being prepared by our team of expert conservators for lowering at IWM London.

This past week, the last of our 65 large objects, the P51D Mustang – which has been suspended 15m high in our Large Exhibits Gallery for over 20 years – was lowered by a team of expert conservators before being transported to IWM Duxford to be conserved in our public hangar Conservation in Action.

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Concept for IWM Atrium © Foster + Partners

Concept for IWM Atrium © Foster + Partners

Our team’s job is to select and shape the displays for the new Atrium and what you see as you first step into IWM London.

The challenge is how to draw all the complexity of conflict – its overwhelming forces and extraordinary human experiences – into one relatively small space. 

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