The Visit London website [visit
link] tells us:
"Home to historic works of art and
captivating collections from modern day conflict, the National Army Museum's
fantastic range of exhibitions and displays bring to life the diverse stories,
objects and histories of the British Army.
From corsets to canons, the museum
boasts the most extensive collection of historical and military artefacts
relating to the British Army from its creation to today.
Visitors of all ages can enjoy a
range of unique exhibitions, galleries and events at the museum, including the
interactive, War Horse: Fact & Fiction exhibition and our soft-play Kids’
Zone.
The National Army Museum offers a
free, fascinating and fun day of discovery for all the family!"
Entry to the museum is free but some
events may be charged for.
There are four main galleries in the
museum. They are:
The Changing World 1784-1904 [visit
link]:
"This gallery examines the British
Army’s role in the expansion and defence of British trade, political interest,
and empire, and its effect on the shape of Britain and the world
today.
Changing the World explores the
Army’s role in the expansion and defence of the British Empire. From the global
struggle against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France (1793-1815) through to the
Boer War (1899-1902), we discover a period in which Britain rose to a dominant
position among the European trading empires. This was an era of war and imperial
expansion abroad and turbulent industrial and social change at
home.
At the centre of the gallery is a
40 square metre model of the Battle of Waterloo (1815) with over 70,000 model
soldiers brought to life with specially commissioned films that explore the
conflict, the soldiers who fought it and the controversy surrounding the model’s
construction.
Other highlights include displays
on the Peninsular War (1808-1814), the Crimean War (1854-1856), the Army in
India, the Zulu War (1879) and the Boer War (1899-1902). The South Asian,
Caribbean and African contribution to the army is also explored, as are the
effects of living under British rule.
Life-size figures from the
Napoleonic and Victorian eras on display include a green-jacketed Rifleman of
the 95th Regiment, a Naik, or Corporal, of the 53rd Bengal Native Infantry and a
Zulu warrior."
World Wars 1905-1947 [visit
link]:
"This
gallery explores the role of the British Commonwealth's civilian armies and
their defence of democracy during the First and Second World Wars, the era of
'Total War'.
The two global conflicts of the
20th century witnessed attempts to harness the entire economic resources of
modern industrial societies for war. Governments also mobilised citizenship and
patriotism to a national war effort.
Young men and women were
conscripted into mass armies as part of their duty as citizens, but the
remaining population was also expected to make personal sacrifices for the wars.
They worked in industry or guarding the Home Front, thus blurring the
distinction between civilian and soldier.
The two global wars offer a
demonstration of the organization, strength, resilience and killing power of
modern industrial states.
World War One (1914-18)
installations include infantry soldiers from 1915 and 1917, a machine gun team,
a trench periscope and reconstructed dug-out from 1917 and a full-scale replica
of a tank.
World War Two (1939-45) displays
include a six-pounder anti-tank gun, a soldier of the 12th Nigerian Regiment
manning a Vickers gun in Burma and a Universal Carrier being driven by a Sikh
soldier.
The impact of war on the Home Front
is also explored alongside technological developments and the contribution made
by soldiers from across the Empire and Commonwealth. Both periods are brought to
life with interactive audio-visual displays and archive film
footage."
Conflicts of interest 1969 to present
[visit
link]:
"From
Northern Ireland and the Falklands to Iraq and Afghanistan, 'Conflicts of
Interest' explores over 40 years of conflict, examining the role of the British
Army across the globe and the impact being a serviceman or woman has on home
life.
This display focuses on key
international conflicts as well as debating domestic issues and questions
relating to the modern military. The exhibition includes personal accounts from
soldiers, their families and civilians of war-torn countries, alongside
exclusive images and objects from the Museum's Collection.
The exhibition's 'At Home' area is
themed around some of the most pressing issues facing the military today - from
debates around equality and the implications of the military covenant to the
effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and crime and homelessness amongst
veterans.
The area dedicated to Afghanistan
sheds light on the intensity of the recent fighting and the British Army’s long
history in the region. The exhibition also contrasts the Gulf War with the most
recent Iraq War and looks into the British involvement in Sierra
Leone.
The space devoted to
Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo explores varying levels of British military
engagement during the 1990s - looking at the army both as UN peace-keeping
force, and when engaged in full conflict under NATO.
Conflicting communities, and war
close to home are the focus in the Northern Ireland section, while the Falklands
area considers questions of patriotism and domestic support for
war.
'Conflicts of Interest' is also a
forum for debate, as in the 'Conflicting Opinions' area visitors are encouraged
to consider the consequences of both military intervention and inaction and
share their own opinion."
The Art Gallery [visit
link]:
"Showcasing the paintings
collection, this gallery includes a selection of portraits, battle scenes and
domestic interiors, horse portraits and camp scenes, dating from 1630 to 2000,
by some of Britain’s greatest artists.
The 34-metre long gallery displays
the ‘jewels’ of the picture collection, with the Museum’s most popular work,
Charles Fripp’s ‘Battle of Isandlwana’, at its centre. Providing a window on
events in history, subjects range across the Empire, from the Western Front to
the Crimea, and from India to China. Portraits include commanders and ordinary
soldiers alike, and other works touch on themes associated with military life
such as separation and reunion.
Reflecting the strengths of the
Collection, the emphasis of this eclectic mix is primarily on the 18th and 19th
century, featuring paintings by masters such as Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir Thomas
Gainsborough, the American Benjamin West, and Sir Henry Raeburn. Other famous
artists represented are Lady Butler, Henry Nelson O’Neill, and Rex Whistler,
whose poignant 1940 self-portrait in his first uniform conveys a sense of
personal conflict, torn between duty and hesitancy at the awful commitment he
had made.
The gallery also houses examples of
campaign furniture, such as the unusual three-tier campaign chest of
Brigadier-General John Nicholson, who was killed in the Indian Mutiny. Included
in the portrait sculpture is Sir John Steell’s graceful head and shoulders of
Florence Nightingale in marble: it proved so iconic in its day that it was
revered during her lifetime by Crimean veterans.
The Art Gallery is the venue for
the Museum’s programme of free Lunchtime Lectures each Thursday, and may be
hired for events and corporate hospitality, together with the adjacent White
Space."