The Imperial War Museum in London is set to close its war medal exhibition, the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, to make room for new galleries focusing on post-World War II conflicts. Established in 2010 with a significant donation from Michael Ashcroft, the gallery showcases Ashcroft’s collection of approximately 200 Victoria Crosses, spanning various wars from the Crimean to the Falklands conflicts, in addition to the museum’s existing collection of 48 Victoria Crosses and 31 George Crosses. However, the exhibition is scheduled to shut down on June 1.

Lord Ashcroft, who had intended to extend the loan and eventually bequeath the collection to the museum, expressed disappointment over the decision. The closure is part of the museum’s initiative to revamp its upper-floor spaces to present narratives of conflicts post-World War II, such as the Cold War, Falklands War, and conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. While the Victoria Crosses and George Crosses will still be on display across all IWM branches, they will be integrated into galleries providing historical context for the awarded conflicts.

The Imperial War Museum emphasized its commitment to sharing stories of bravery and sacrifice by showcasing these medals. The post-World War II conflicts have been identified as underrepresented in the museum’s galleries following significant updates to its World War I and II sections and Holocaust exhibition. The planned renovations aim to address this gap by creating new gallery spaces at IWM London to narrate the events of the past 80 years, offering a more comprehensive view of conflicts within recent memory.

The closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery marks a shift in the museum’s focus towards expanding its coverage of conflicts beyond the two World Wars. While expressing gratitude to Lord Ashcroft and other lenders for enabling the display of these significant medals, the museum looks forward to enhancing its exhibitions to encompass a broader spectrum of historical events. This move underscores the museum’s dedication to evolving its displays to reflect a more comprehensive representation of military history for its visitors.