Much narrower period of time (1914-1918). Smaller, and focuses on its immediate locality and a The IWM is a national war museum, covering twentieth-Ĭentury conflicts involving Britain and theĬommonwealth.
Two museums make them suitable for comparison. The organisational differences between these Road, London, and the In Flanders Fields MuseumĪt Ypres, Belgium (hereafter IWM and IFF respectively). Imperial War Museum's main museum at Lambeth The two museums considered in this study are the Wartime attitudes, both of which are part of The past, and its portrayal of former enemies can reinforce The museum's interpretation of technologyĬan also play a part in creating a sanitised version of Through their depiction of "heroes" and their portrayal War museums have often beenĪccused of sanitising or glamorising war, for example In relation to a number of related but distinct themes.Ĭommemoration may focus on individuals, or mayįocus more on a group, whether the nation or a specific The commemorative aspect of war museums directlyĪffects their style of interpretation, particularly Which are no longer widely accepted by society? Imagery and narratives of glory and sacrifice, Who exactly do they commemorate, and whyĭo they take a commemorative approach to interpretation?Īre military museums using outdated commemorative This dissertationĪims to consider the extent to which museums of warĪct as memorials to those who were killed or served Interpretations of history, and attribute significance Their displays confer legitimacy on specific Museums play a significant role in commemoration.
– Laurence Binyon (1869-1943) Introduction This museum focuses on the experiences of individual soldiers of all nations, and tells visitors that they must learn from the First World War to work for peace. In Flanders Fields has consciously attempted to avoid traditional forms of commemoration, which could be seen as glamorising or sanitising war. In its recently-opened Holocaust exhibition, however, it has made use of a different style of commemoration. The Imperial War Museum tends to follow established commemorative traditions. This dissertation examines the representation of war in two very different museums: Britain's national Imperial War Museum, and the regional In Flanders Fields Museum at Ypres, Belgium. These conventions often also govern museum interpretation of war. The twentieth century saw the development of commemorative traditions: customs and narratives by which individuals, groups and nations remember, commemorate and attempt to resolve memories of the traumatic experience that is war. Yet museums frequently portray a sanitised version of warfare. David Lowenthal has observed that in today's museums, "nothing seems too horrendous to commemorate" ( Lowenthal 1985).