The Imperial War Museum (IWM) is facing criticism for a strategic shift aimed at attracting younger visitors by focusing on more recent conflicts, a move some interpret as a departure from its core historical mission. The museum has engaged a consultancy firm to develop exhibitions and displays that resonate with 'contemporary audiences,' prioritizing events like the Cold War, the Falklands War, and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This new direction follows the controversial closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in February of the previous year, which housed the world's largest collection of Victoria Cross medals. According to the IWM's three-year plan for 2026-2029, new displays will focus on conflicts within 'many of our visitors' living memory,' alongside temporary exhibitions exploring lesser-known stories.
A separate report, the IWM Corporate Plan 2025-2028, indicates that this reorientation is partly driven by a 'growing public misunderstanding about what the IWM does and why it exists.' The report states that this misunderstanding reflects 'the growing number of people with no connection to someone who lived through the First or Second World Wars, or who was involved in the post-1945 conflicts.' A London-based design firm, Johnson Banks, has been contracted to help establish a 'refreshed visual identity and tone of voice' for the institution.
Sources within the museum have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery. Lord Ashcroft, whose Victoria Cross and George Cross medals were housed in the gallery, commented that the IWM's decision to close the gallery and return his medals remains 'baffling.' He added, 'I should perhaps not be surprised that the IWM continues to turn its back on the past. Spending money in the pursuit of younger visitors means nothing unless you have something to offer young people.'
A spokesperson for the IWM asserted that "Telling the stories of the First and Second World Wars is, and will continue to be, at the heart of IWM's mission." The spokesperson further explained that the 'Vision & Purpose project' aims to ensure these historical narratives, as well as those of contemporary conflicts, continue to connect with future generations. The goal, they stated, is to "communicate more clearly why IWM matters and how the stories and lessons of conflict that we share remain just as relevant today," with the aspiration that "everyone, from veterans to families and schools, to feel that IWM is for them."