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A Personal Review of the Imperial War Museum Northby Paul MilehamI had visited the Imperial War Museum in London only the previous weekend, as such I was looking forward to visiting its cousin in the north. From my hotel in Bolton armed with a number of guidebooks and maps (purchased the previous day) which proved useless as the museum is so new it did not appear, I set off. Luckily, the yellow AA signs eventually appeared and it was fairly easily found (hint head either for old Trafford or the Lowry Centre). My first impression was of size, apparently the design, one of stainless steel and triangles, is to give the impression of a building falling down, but it certainly appeared to be large. Car parking was easy, as a large car park surrounds the building, but a word of warning, it quickly filled up and at £4.50 for only 4 hours maximum stay, it's a little expensive. This should have been my first warning. The entrance is tucked away and is surprisingly modest. After the usual 3 degrees, name, postcode, etc. entry is free but on my visit the computers were down, delaying entry. After passing through again the usual gift shop (a good selection of books, 20th century conflicts only), the entrance to the exhibition hall is on front of you, and you enter directly under a Harrier Jump Jet (US Marine version). At this stage I thought wow, but then I entered the hall proper. To get down to basics, the museum is one vast hall with exhibits dotted around the outside wall and around some very large free-standing walls, to say minimalist would not be too fine a word. There are some fine pieces, and a number of good ideas, but for a museum full of 'stuff' go to London. After an hour and a good wander the design of the hall became apparent; we were treated to a quarter hour slide show projected onto the walls around us. The slide show was worthy and tried to be thought provoking, but judging by the reactions of the audience (many small children and some not so small), about 10 minutes too long. I believed my brother summed it up, saying that it was a good job that it was free, because he wouldn't pay to see it. And that I am sorry to say, is what my personal view of this museum is. If you are in Manchester go and see it, if you have a spare hour. Better still, go and see the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, a better museum and still free. The London Imperial War Museum is better, and is more thought provoking, and this is without the need for a gimmicky slide show. On a scale of 5 a dodgy 2. |