‘Actively remember the sacrifices and conflict of war’ at the Imperial War Museum

The pilot who beat the odds to survive and return home; the casualty who never got to smoke his cigarettes; the wife and child who prayed in vain for their husband and father on the Western Front; and the soldier who wrote home in celebration of Armistice at the end of the First World War on 11 November 1918.

These stories, showing how the First World War shaped the lives of millions, are on display at Imperial War Museum in Manchester, marking the First World War Centenary.

This Remembrance, Imperial War Museum North is encouraging everyone to actively remember their own First World War connection and to share their stories with family and friends. Your First World War connection could be a relative who fought, a person listed on your local war memorial or the story of someone on display at IWM that has inspired you.

Remembrance Sunday at Imperial War Museum North

Visitors to IWM North on Remembrance Sunday 12 November 2023 can discover Lives of the First World War, the online digital memorial to the millions of people who contributed to the British war effort during the First World War.

Graham Boxer, Director of IWM North, said: ‘IWM was founded in 1917 even before the war had finished, so traumatic and momentous was this conflict. One hundred years on, sacrifices continue to be made in conflict today. IWM North gives visitors the chance to actively remember the sacrifices of the First World War, by exploring our museum, joining one of our tours, or uploading their own connections to Lives of the First World War.

Act of Remembrance by RNCM

This Remembrance Sunday, visitors to IWM North will have the opportunity to join in observing a two-minute silence at 11am and hear performances by musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music in the museum’s Main Exhibition Space.

Performances will include The Last Post and a recital of Nimrod by Edward Elgar.

Remembrance Big Picture Show

Discover the different ways we remember conflict, from the First World War to the Iraq War.

An immersive 360-degree thought-provoking multimedia experience only at IWM North.

Poppies: Wave and Weeping Window

The iconic hand-crafted ceramic sculptures have returned to IWM North as a brand-new artwork, Poppies.

Re-imagined into a new sculptural form, Poppies, cascade down and pool within the unique architecture of IWM North’s Air Shard, combining the pieces from the 2018 artworks Poppies: Wave and Weeping Window.

The poppy sculptures were conceived by ceramic artist Paul Cummins and designer Tom Piper.

They now form part of IWM’s collection. In their new permanent home in Manchester, you can reconnect with the poppies as both a contemporary artwork and as a means to reflect on the way war shapes lives.

Remembrance Literacy Live Lesson

Imperial War Museum North is hosting a BBC Teach Literacy Live Lesson on Wednesday 8 November 2023 for primary schools ahead of Remembrance Day.

This interactive programme will help children reflect on ‘why we still remember’ through poetry, real-life accounts from veterans and artefacts on display at the museum. Pupils will come away inspired to write their own reflective poems.

The programme, devised in consultation with IWM, is presented by Shanequa Paris and poet Tomfoolery with special guest and Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho. Former Royal Marines Commando and Invictus Games Medallist JJ Chalmers will also be answering questions from children about his own experience of serving in the armed forces.

Created in partnership with BBC Teach, this 30-minute programme will be available to watch from Wednesday 8 November 2023 on this BBC Teach page and on CBBC.

Find out more on their website or connect with @IWMNorth on Twitter.