please empty your brain below
Did you get the 94 there?

Anyway, thanks, I had totally forgotten about this museum.

Chris | 05.04.17 - 7:20 a.m. | #

I suppose it depends on what you think a museum is for today, back in 1971 when this museum opened, the only other outlet for further information was books, which were only available from bookshops, yes there were documentaries on T.V., but you could only see them when they were broadcast.

Today there is shedloads of stuff, I can order no end of books and DVDs, or stream programmes, plus the net itself, online gaming, no Wikipedia in 1971!

This leaves the museum with it's only unique selling point, it has loads of real things together in one place, although whether its best to display this in historical groups, or as clusters - in other words put uniforms together, artillery together etc., or this is what xxth century warfare was like is debatable.

Still anon | 05.04.17 - 8:11 a.m. | #

Alas the museum doesn't even have "loads of real things". There are a lot more panels than objects.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 05.04.17 - 8:14 a.m. | #

Walked past when it was effectively a concrete bunker for years in the 2000s heading to work.

World's least enticing museum, very much out of place amongst Tite St, the Physics Garden and all that...

Looks a lot better now, though it's still going to suffer from being kind of out of the way.

Kevin | 05.04.17 - 8:27 a.m. | #

"Brief summary: military history/subliminal recruitment"

Brilliant!

Blue Witch | Homepage | 05.04.17 - 9:26 a.m. | #

If it doesn't have 'loads of real stuff' then there is little point making the effort to visit - it could take a leaf out of some other museums and do its own podcasts - highlighting the collections, or presenting a more enhanced history without the restrictions of 'normal' broadcasters, bit like the TED talks, this is a wider comment by the way, not just about the NAM.

Still anon | 05.04.17 - 10:26 a.m. | #

A museum is the one place where you can contemplate the real thing. There is no reason why detailed information can't be given under headline summary. DG's final sentence sums it up. Providing detail in palatable form is what museums can be about. But let's enjoy the objects of the experience. Rant ongoing...

Herbof | 05.04.17 - 10:39 a.m. | #

Thanks for the info, DG. Oh dear! It seems they've done it again. Shades of the Imperial War Museum and many others. I was looking forward to the reopening of the National Army Museum but had my fears that this might happen. I don't think I will bother to visit now and I will remember it as it was with many real artifacts you could study.
As a child I spent hours in the Science Museum peering at things in glass cases and figuring out how they worked which led me to become an engineer. Now it's all "concepts". No wonder we, as a country, have a shortage of people with practical knowledge and skills.
Like Herbof, my rant is ongoing!

Baldrick | 05.04.17 - 11:24 a.m. | #

In the Soldier gallery review you mention conscript, we have not had conscription to the UK Armed forces since 1960.

Nick | 05.04.17 - 12:15 p.m. | #

Good to see it's now re-opened: I knew it was due but didn't know exactly when.
One of the things I found memorable about the old set-up was turning a corner of one of the ramps to be looking straight up the wrong end of a rifle held by one of the life-size figures.
I'm guessing their (free) lunchtime talks will now be returning there after being hosted in other locations during the closure: I've been to a few and the quality has always been first class.

While this museum has re-opened, part of another has now temporarily closed, also for refurbishment. (I'm not sure why because I thought it was pretty much OK the way it was.) I'm referring to the World Cultures section of the Horniman Museum at Forest Hill. While the rest of the museum remains open this part is likely to be closed until next year.

R-dubya | 05.04.17 - 4:17 p.m. | #

"because that's what most of a soldier's life is like, rather than fighting"

And just possibly because having to kill people - not to mention the risk of being killed - is not the best way of trying to attract potential recruits.

I hate the phrase "our glorious dead". There was nothing glorious about the way three of my great uncles, and my grandmother's first husband, died 100 years ago. And winning a war doesn't mean you were right. It proves nothing except that you're better armed than the other side.

Timbo | 05.04.17 - 11:32 p.m. | #











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