In between tours on Saturday I decided to take a walk from Spitalfields to Elephant and Castle in order to visit the Imperial War Museum.
I have been reading a fantastic book called "Bedlam: London and its Mad" by the eminently readable and engaging Catherine Arnold, and the IWM is housed in what was built to be the Bethlem Mental Hospital's third (and penultimate) location.
Anyone who reads my blog or who has been on my tours knows that I am never more deeply engaged than when learning about the nasty bits of history; mass graves, body parts in jars, torture and flagellating saints are all right up my alley. A medieval mental institution is naturally of interest. The fact that the namesake of the deliciously evocative word "Bedlam" was once housed on Bishopsgate, at the sight of Liverpool Street Station (my home away from home) gives me untold moments of pleasure.
Whenever I see the Blue Heritage plaque announcing its former presence where I catch my trains, I get a shiver up my spine to which only other historians will relate.
This fascination with the Bedlam Asylum was in part what lead to my interest in the Imperial War Museum; of course, as a 20th century historian, my interest in the European wars is a given.
Housed in the Bethlem Asylum's former administrative building, The Imperial War Museum is a brilliantly curated archive of British involvement in the First and Second World Wars. From the London Blitz, the homeland experience of rationing and the Holocaust abroad, this museum sensitively and creatively guides the visitor through the chaos of early twentieth century London. (The Bethlem Hospital is now located in Croydon, and is home to the brilliant Museum of the Mind, about the asylum's oft-dark past).
From full sized aircraft to tanks, the experience of local Londoners to the experience of soldiers on the ground, this museum attempts to capture the experience of many diverse groups. Myself, I was as equally captivated by the architecture and raw space as I was by what filled it - visions of Bedlam danced in my head, and not even the very serious topics at hand could erase the feeling of dark heritage in the air.
Overall, I enjoyed this museum, but I must admit that I found its layout confusing and would have appreciated more direction on which way to walk in order to ideally experience the curation. That said, this museum offers free admission (like most UK museums), and so if you are in the area you should consider a visit.
Should you plan your London itinerary around this institution? Not unless you have a specific interest in the world wars, or in military history in general. As a tour guide, and historian I am more apt to recommend that you spend 18 quid to visit the Churchill War Museum in Westminster - it is operated by the IWM, and I think it is far more cohesive, and well worth your cash.
Do you agree, disagree or have anything to add? Leave your comments below.