National Army Museum facts for kids
The main entrance of the National Army Museum from Royal Hospital Road
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1960 (collection); 1971 (building) |
|---|---|
| Location | Royal Hospital Road London, SW3 United Kingdom |
| Visitors | 215,721 (2008, up 7.3%) |
| Public transit access |  Sloane Square |
The National Army Museum is the main museum for the British Army. It is located in the Chelsea area of central London. You can find it right next to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, which is home to the famous "Chelsea Pensioners".
This museum is a special public body. It is usually open to visitors from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. However, it closes on December 25th, 26th, and January 1st. The best part is, admission is completely free!
The museum reopened in March 2017 after a huge renovation project. This project cost £23.75 million, with a lot of help from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Now, the museum has five exciting galleries. They cover British military history from the English Civil War right up to today.
The National Army Museum tells the story of all British land forces. This is different from other military museums in the UK. Many others focus on specific groups or regiments within the British Army. It also has a different focus than the Imperial War Museum in London. The Imperial War Museum covers all war experiences, including civilians, but only from 1914 onwards. The National Army Museum goes much further back in time.
Contents
History of the Museum
The idea for the National Army Museum first came about in the late 1950s. It exists thanks to the hard work of Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer. He did most of the fundraising to make it happen.
The museum was officially created by a Royal Charter in 1960. Its goal was to collect, keep, and show items and records. These items relate to the British Army and the Commonwealth forces. It also aimed to encourage research into their history and traditions. The museum first started in a temporary building at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
A new building was designed in a brutalist style. It was built on land that used to be part of the old infirmary of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Construction began in 1961 and took ten years to finish. The Queen officially opened the new museum on November 11, 1971.
For a while, there was a plan to open another museum in Catterick, North Yorkshire. This was going to be called National Army Museum North. However, due to funding and planning problems, this idea was cancelled in 2003. Instead, the Chelsea museum underwent a big redesign of its displays. This work created new exhibition areas and improved existing ones. The final part of this redesign opened in October 2010.
Major Renovation Project
From May 1, 2014, until March 30, 2017, the museum was closed to the public. This was for a huge rebuilding project. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. BDP architects and Event Communications oversaw the work.
Event Communications wanted the new museum to start conversations about the army. Their goal was not to promote it, but to bring discussions about it to the public. They also wanted the displays to show the army's long history and its link with the public. The museum doesn't avoid difficult topics. It also gives a voice to those who served and shares their experiences.
The new design was meant to be an "immersive experience." This means visitors can feel like they are really there. You can ride simulated tanks, learn to load rifles, and understand war tactics. This is all done in a modern, technology-driven 3D environment. In early March 2017, the Queen reopened the museum. This marked the end of the three-year renovation.
Museum Galleries
The National Army Museum now has five exciting new galleries for visitors to explore:
- Soldier: This gallery focuses on the lives and experiences of individual soldiers.
- Army: Here, you can learn about the British Army as a whole.
- Battle: This section explores famous battles and military strategies.
- Society: This gallery looks at how the army has affected society.
- Insight: This area offers deeper understanding and different perspectives.
How the Museum is Run
The National Army Museum became an independent public body in 1983. This happened under the National Heritage Act 1983. The museum receives money each year from the Ministry of Defence. The museum's director manages this money for the board of trustees.
Museum Directors
- Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Bernard Appleby (1971–1975)
- John Paris (1975–1982)
- William Reid (1982–1988)
- Ian Robertson (1988–2003)
- Dr Alan Guy (2003–2010)
- Janice Murray (2010–2017)
- Justin Maciejewski (2018–present)
Images for kids
-
The main entrance of the National Army Museum
