Imperial War Museum London
The Imperial War Museum serves as a national museum for Britain. Its main location is in London, complemented by five additional branches across England. Established in 1917 as the Imperial War Museum, its original purpose was to document the civil and military efforts and sacrifices made by the United Kingdom and its Empire during the First World War. Over time, the museum’s scope has broadened to encompass all conflicts involving British or Commonwealth forces since 1914. As of 2012, the museum’s mission is to provide and encourage the study and understanding of the history of modern warfare as well as the “wartime experience”. The IWM as it is now known has its headquarters and primary site is located at Southwark in Central London. The museum is funded by government grants, charitable donations and revenue generated through commercial activity such as retailing, licensing and publishing. General admission is free to IWM London.
Hunterian Museum
The Hunterian Museum is a museum of anatomical specimens in London, located in the prestigious building of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The museum is made up primarily of a collection from the 18th century Scottish surgeon John Hunter. Over the years it has since been subsequently supplemented by Odontological material curated by A. E. W. Miles and various natural history exhibits from Richard Owen. In May 2023, the Hunterian Museum reopened following a five-year redevelopment of the Royal College of Surgeons of England’s headquarters at Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The £4.6 million museum project features the exhibition of more than 2,000 anatomical specimens from Hunter’s original collection. In addition to these there are instruments, equipment, models, paintings, and archival materials that document the evolution of surgery from ancient eras to contemporary robot-assisted procedures. The Museum boasts the largest public display of human anatomy in England.
British Optical Association Museum
There is no shortage of interesting and good quality museums in London. In many respects tourists and visitors are spoilt for choice. More often than not, it is the most well known institutions such as the British Museum or Victoria and Albert Museum that gain the most attention. However, there are many hidden gems to discover if you take the time to look further. A prime example being The British Optical Association Museum which I had the pleasure of visiting today. The museum’s function is to promote the optometry profession and raise public awareness of its past and ongoing role within society. The museum has a well conserved collection of exhibits and provides a venue for presentations, learning and research services. There is also an excellent tour hosted by museum curator Neil Handley (PhD, AMA, FRSA) in which he gives a concise, interesting and at times a witty overview of the history of optometry in the UK and its current role.
Capel Battery
The artillery battery at Capel-le-Ferne was built between 1941 and 1942, following the fall of France, on the orders of Winston Churchill. Located between Dover and Folkestone, the battery consisted of three 8-inch high-performance guns, provided by the Royal Navy. The battery was intended to provide anti-shipping defence in the English Channel. The site was manned by men of the 520 Coast Regiment Royal Artillery. Over the course of World War II, the battery expanded in size, eventually encompassing multiple Nissen huts, several roads and 19 military buildings. Anti aircraft defence was provided by two 40mm Bofors guns. Over the course of the war, the Capel Battery engaged enemy shipping on four separate occasions and also took part in fifteen practice shoots. In 1944, due to the decreased threat, the battery was placed in “care and maintenance”. The guns were removed in 1952 and the building demolished in the early 1980s
Kent Battle of Britain Museum
There are an estimated 2,500 museums in the UK. This number has grown significantly over time, more than tripling between 1960 and 2017. While it is laudable that so many of these institutions exist, they do not all receive equal interest or publicity. Some museums dominate in their respective fields and drown out others that have a similar theme. With this in mind, I was unaware of the Kent Battle of Britain Museum until a friend recently brought it to my attention. After yesterday’s visit my initial thoughts are what a treasure trove it is. According to the museum’s website it is the world’s largest Battle of Britain collection of memorabilia. This includes planes, uniforms, weapons and related artefacts from over 700 crashed aircraft. Furthermore, the museum tells the story of this battle without bias, choosing to highlight both the historical and the human aspects of the conflict. It is often very poignant.
Brompton Cemetery
Today I went on an impromptu visit to Brompton Cemetery in West London. Established in 1837, the West of London and Westminster Cemetery (as it was originally known) is a private cemetery initially created as a business venture to capitalise upon the shortage of cemeteries within London. It also sought to cater to the prevailing culture of opulent Victorian funeral rites. However, after proving non profitable, the cemetery was bought by the UK government. It was subsequently incorporated into Crown Property and managed by The Royal Parks. It is one of Britain’s oldest and most distinguished garden cemeteries. There are currently 35,000 monuments, ranging from simple headstones to impressive mausolea. It is home to more than 205,000 resting places. The cemetery is also a haven for flora and fauna, providing a substantial semi rural environment amid urban central London.
Whitstable Museum and Gallery
Today I had the pleasure of visiting the Whitstable Museum (or to give its full name Whitstable Community Museum and Gallery). This is a fine example of a local heritage centre that curates and displays artefacts and records that reflect the history and culture of the surrounding area. The museum located in Whitstable, Kent, is home to one of the world's oldest steam engines, as well as historical diving equipment that was developed locally. The history of the local oyster trade which has been an integral part of the community for centuries is also a key feature. Established in 1985, the museum was reopened in 2015 following a major refurbishment. There is also an art gallery featuring the paintings by local artists and artworks on loan from an international network of galleries.
Legendary Joust at Eltham Palace
Eltham Palace, located in South East London, was the childhood home of King Henry VIII in 1499. It was later used as a royal nursery for the infant Princess Elizabeth, born on 7th September 1533. It sports sumptuous grounds and ornamental gardens and was famous for its game hunting during the Tudor and Elizabethan periods. In the 1930s’ the property was owned by the Courtauld family, who built a sumptuous Art Deco style mansion and redeveloped the grounds. Today the entire property is owned and managed by English Heritage who have extensively restored much of the estate. It is therefore very fitting that this illustrious venue annually plays host to the Legendary Medieval Joust, during the summer months. Two days of historical pageantry, re-enactments and events for the entire family to enjoy. I last attended in 2015, so it was a welcome pleasure to return again yesterday.