Art and Learning at the Imperial War Museum (IWM), London.

This article argues that visual art has an integral role to play in the educational mission of war museums that goes beyond merely illustrating historical narratives. The significant fine art collection of the IWM (Imperial War Museums), which contains over 20,000 items, is explored with a specific focus on how art curators from IWM London engage with these works to inform the Museum’s narratives. More than any other part of the IWM collection, art has the ability to address abstract concepts and analytical themes related to the history of war. The article draws on interviews with IWM art curators, and examines the often contested role that the art collection plays in the broader efforts of a museum currently celebrating its centenary year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]