Imperial War Museum and other day-trips...

[hoverdonkey]

In the middle of three days off,  much of which appears to be under the latest 'low pressure system from the Atlantic', so with golf out of the question, I popped along to the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth this afternoon.

Hadn't been since school but my God hasn't it improved. Either that or I'm just more interested in it now. What a great place. I was there for about 3½ hours and probably looked at about 40% of what I wanted to and missed out two floors completely because I was getting tired and knew I would just be rushing round without appreciating them.

The Holocaust Exhibition is incredibly moving and brilliantly done and there is a special D-Day exhibition on at the moment to mark the 60th anniversary.

So, to mark my very enjoyable day-trip to an otherwise miserable south London, perhaps this could be a thread to suggest day-trips for those of us who get plenty of time off in the week on their tod. (i.e me)

Has anyone else been to the IWM recently?

[hencole]

Went a few years ago for the 'Blitz Experience' and found it a lot more interesting than when I went with school. Probably becasue you can check out the things that interest you rather than ticking things of a worksheet.

[Purple Tentacle]

Funny you should bring this thread up, because Ms_Tentacle and I have decided to actually GO to museums and gallaries since we live in London and yet never go to any of the London attractions. We went to the British Museum last year, but I got all angry about the pillage aspect, so we went.

We're going to the London Dungeons this weekend, which isn't quite as moving or mature as the IWM, but we have to start somewhere.

[Bilko]

Since I live in the North I went to the Imperial War Museum in Manchester (designed by Daniel Libeskind), actually I've been twice now, not that that gives it a stamp of approval from me.

They have five big atracttions one of which is a car, not very war related.  There is massive amounts of open space and a film show which is shown every hour all over the fucking walls, blackening everything out so you can't see any of the exhibits for 15 minutes until the film ends.  The whole thing stinks of the left overs from the other war museums in Britain.  The best thing about the museum is the tower where you can see across Manchester.

Outside the IWM, the Royal Armouries at Leeds is worth visiting.

[Des Nilsen]

I went to the Imperial War Museum in Ypres, Belgium and really enjoyed it. Aside from the obviously moving exhibits the staff were very nice, and there was a horribly realistic air raid simulation.
There was of course some Wilfred Owen poetry set to some ghastly images and some sounds effects, so I went and brought a war poets' anthology soon after.

I still haven't been to the Tate Modern, so I might go there soon. I'm actually hoping there will be a full-on Francis Bacon retrospective at the Tate very soon, as there have been a few hints and rumours to that effect. I'd love to see a proper Bacon one-man show.

On the gore front, I haven't been to the London Dungeon in years (the last time I went I was about 9 years old), so I might go again some time soon. I'm not recommending much here am I? I'm sort of idling and saying what I'd like to visit. Ah well.
Yes, the London Dungeon - I found it quite scary actually, what with bodies all stretched and mangled and that weirdo walking around pretending to be Jack The Ripper.
Euch.

-

[Pinball]

War, destruction, death, pillage - what humans are really good at.

[Jet Set Willy]

Why are they called the imperial war museum?

[Doctor Stamen]

I went to 'The Beatles Story' museum in Liverpool when I was stuck for something to do waiting for a train.

Please don't go, it's fucking shit.

It might be useful if you know absolutely nothing about The Beatles, but if you're aware that they were from Liverpool, fucked off to Hamburg for a bit, came back, got famous, went to the States, one of them married some mad artist bint and then they split up, then you won't learn a bloody thing.

Go to Dudley Zoo and look at all the monkeys instead.  Far more entertaining, plus you get to go on a chairlift and on a clear day you can see as far as Stourbridge College.

[Santa's Boyfriend]

When I was teaching I took my students to the IWM in relation to a brief I wrote about designing propaganda and advertising (an interest of mine).

It's a fantastic place, and watching the impact of my students, particularly around the Holocaust museum, was very rewarding as they slowly came to realise how fortunate we are.  I would recommend anyone and everyone going - I spent the entire day in there, and still didn't give everything the time I would have liked.

Whilst we're on the subject, Disney are releasing their war cartoons archive this month on DVD in America.  I never, ever thought they'd do that, particularly because many of these cartoons are extremely racist towards the Japanese.  As soon as I've got a bit more money I will be buying it!

[king mob]

Check Tate Modern out as most of it is free and wonderful & spend 13 quid on the London Eye which softens the heart of the hardest cynic as its wonderful.

[wooly]

The Museum of London is great (if you can actually find it, somewhere near the Barbican), as is the Natural History museum.....great dinosaurs exhibition.

I've not been for a while, but I thought the London Dungeon was rubbish.

[mrpants]

Which gallery is that Annie Leibowitz (sp?) exhibition on in?  The one with loads of portraits of pop/ rock stars?

I saw an article about it in a sunday paper a few weeks ago and thought it looked quite good but now I have no idea where it's on.  Anyone have any ideas?