How Can I Support Imperial War Museums?

Updated

You can support Imperial War Museums (IWM) in four main ways: become a member, make a donation, volunteer, or shop through the IWM online shop. Membership is the best fit if you plan to visit paid sites such as Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast, or IWM Duxford, because IWM lists free standard admission to those three as a member benefit. Donating suits people who want to fund exhibitions and learning programmes without visiting. Volunteering suits people who can give time across IWM's five sites, and shopping suits anyone who wants books, prints, or gifts tied to the collections.

Compare the options

Option What you give What IWM says it supports Best if you…
Membership Membership fee (price not stated on the page) Free standard admission to Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast and IWM Duxford, plus other benefits Plan to visit one or more of the paid sites
Donation A one-off or ongoing gift Telling stories of conflict, launching exhibitions, and learning programmes Want to support IWM's work without visiting
Volunteering Your time Bringing collections to life, caring for objects, and customer experience Live near one of the five sites and can commit time
Online shop Purchase price of items The museum, via every purchase Want books, prints, or gifts inspired by the collections

Become a member

IWM describes membership as a way to "help tell the stories that deserve to be heard." The concrete benefit named on the page is free standard admission to Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast and IWM Duxford, alongside "a host of benefits." The page does not list a membership price, so check the membership page for current rates before deciding. If you are planning to visit more than one of those three sites, compare the membership cost with the combined admission prices to see whether it pays off for your trip.

Make a donation

IWM is a charity and states that it needs support "now more than ever" to keep telling personal stories of conflict. Donations, per the page, help IWM launch exhibitions and deliver learning programmes. This is the simplest option if you want to contribute without a visit or a time commitment. The page does not specify suggested amounts or tax treatment, so use the Donate Now link on the site for current details.

Volunteer with IWM

IWM says it is "a volunteer involving organisation with over 1000 volunteers across our five sites." Volunteers help bring collection stories to life, care for significant objects, and improve customer experience. This is a good fit if you are near London (IWM London, Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast), Manchester (IWM North), or Duxford (IWM Duxford) and want a hands-on role. The page does not describe application steps or time requirements, so start from the Volunteer with IWM section of the site to see current openings.

Shop and stay in touch

Every purchase from the IWM online shop supports the museum, and the shop stocks books, prints, and gifts inspired by the collections. Separately, you can sign up for the IWM newsletter to hear about collections, exhibitions, stories, and events; the page states that signing up includes a 10% discount in the IWM shop.

A practical way to decide

  • Visiting Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast, or IWM Duxford? Check membership pricing against admission for your dates first.
  • Want to help but not visit? A donation goes toward exhibitions and learning programmes.
  • Have time and live near a site? Look into volunteering across the five sites.
  • Want something tangible? The online shop supports the museum with each purchase, and newsletter signup adds a 10% shop discount.

For current prices, opening details, and application forms, use the membership, donation, volunteer, and shop links on iwm.org.uk, since the overview page does not state them.