This October half term, Imperial War Museums (IWM) invites visitors to enjoy a range of free family activities full of stories to inspire. Visitors can uncover the secrets of camouflage with Camouflage, Dazzle and Disguise, season of activity at IWM London and IWM North packed with trails, crafts and performances. Families are also invited to speak to eyewitnesses to conflict and travel back in time to 1944 at IWM Duxford and HMS Belfast.
IWM London and IWM North | Story Seekers: Camouflage & Disguise | Daily 22 – 30 OctoberFreeUncover the secrets of camouflage with a fascinating trail focusing on illusion and disguise. Dig deeper into the museum’s collections and uncover the inspiring stories they tell, from the First World War to today.
IWM London and IWM North | The Dazzle Design Studio | Daily 22 – 30 OctoberFreeDiscover the optical illusion behind Dazzle camouflage with IWM’s Dazzle Design Studio, a discovery hub full of fun activities where families are invited to play with optical illusions and put their own Dazzle designs to the test in a game of nautical hide and seek.
IWM London and IWM North | Live Show: The Camouflage Unit Camp | Daily 22 – 28 October, 10.30am, 11.45am, 2pm & 3.15pmIWM London | BSL Interpreted: The Camouflage Unit Camp | Wednesday 26 October, 2pm & 3.15pmFreeIn this live show, families are invited to try their hand at code-breaking, don desert disguises and witness some mirror ‘magic’, just like the Camouflage Unit did during Operation Bertram in 1942. Created in partnership with immersive theatre and events company Tea Dance for Little People, families will help this Camouflage Unit to create models and take part in a series of deception operations used in the Battle of El-Alamein in Egypt in 1942. Spaces for the BSL performance must be booked online in advance.
IWM London | We Were There | Monday 24 October and Wednesday 26 OctoberIWM North | We Were There | Tuesday 25 October and Thursday 27 OctoberIWM Duxford | We Were There: Cold War Veterans | Tuesday 25 OctoberIWM Duxford | We Were There | Saturday 29 OctoberHMS Belfast | We Were There | Friday 28 OctoberFree (included in price of admission at IWM Duxford and HMS Belfast)Meet eyewitnesses to conflict and gain first-hand insight into the impact of war on people’s lives. Visitors to IWM this half term will find special guests across our sites and have the unique opportunity to hear their personal stories - ranging from driving a tank, to being evacuated from the place they called home.
IWM Duxford | Family Activities | Daily 22 – 30 October Free (included in price of admission)Families can put their paper plane making skills to the test as they try to beat the world record with Flight Academy or travel back in time to D-Day 1944 with the storytelling experience Family Mission. Activities vary, we recommend checking details at the Visit Planning Point upon arrival.
HMS Belfast | Find Your Sea Legs | Daily 22 – 30 October Free (included in price of admission)Learn how to keep the iconic warship in tip-top condition and take charge of HMS Belfast in our interactive family activity Find Your Sea Legs. Get to grips with the science and skills needed to survive on HMS Belfast, solve nautical puzzles and discover for yourself what life was like for the ship’s company during the Second World War.