Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the Imperial War Museums' changing relationship with large objects. It highlights the complex relationship between the allure of objects for visitors, and the objects' subversive potential.

Paper long abstract:

From the 1960s onwards, the Imperial War Museums' (IWM) relationship with large objects began to change. This was in no small part down to its director, Nobel Frankland, who in 1968 installed the large 15 inch naval guns that have become synonymous with the Museum's image. This was followed by the acquisition of two large objects - HMS Belfast and Duxford Airfield - as sites of history in the 1970s. These acquisitions, along with the spectacular display of planes and bombs, continue to attract visitors to IWM today. Large objects can however, prove unsettling and highlight tensions in museolgical practice:

Primarily, the museological meaning behind display can easily get lost in the aesthetics of the object. Their size mean that visitors want to take photographs, touch or play in them. This sense of awe can prove disorientating for visitors. Secondly, as large objects embody the societal meaning placed on them, their significance can change in ways Museums could not have anticipated in the past. For example, the naval guns mean that visitors often assume the Museum represents military, over social history. In a bid to counter this and encourage tourism, the Museum has tried to position the objects as subversive sites, temporarily installing large flowers in the gun barrels. This however leads to the final point, that the cost of conservation of large objects is high. These objects cannot be easily altered, and as Museums across London move their collections to cheaper locations, what will become of large objects?