National Army Museum - Chelsea
Mooch along the Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea, surveying Wren's exquisite Royal Hospital (home of the Chelsea Pensioner) and it's all to easy to drift right by the National Army Museum, its closest neighbour to the west. The entrance has a narrow frontage and the modern block pales beside such distinguished architecture, but don't let first impressions sway your judgement.
The greeting at the desk is pleasant and informative and after a quick bag-check you're free to make your way into the galleries. Visitors to the National Army Museum can wander in any direction they fancy, but I started at early Britain and 
browsed chronologically - unusual for me. You begin with full-size models of pike-men and cavalry during the English Civil War, working through to the Napoleonic Wars. Here the emphasis is on bringing the history to life, through models and weapons, or official documents of the time. These are further supported by personalised accounts and accoutrements. Within every great conflict there are a myriad of 'small stories' which convey the reality of hardships suffered. Just as every novel about a grand theme must anchor that theme in an individual's plight, or it becomes too large to care about - so these inter-continental battles are illuminated by the very ordinary, as well as the exceptional individuals.
Stories such as 'regimental wives' who travelled to battle with their husbands during the Napoleonic Wars, tended and cared for the regiment - and in one of the highlighted cases, a wife carried her husband on her back when he was injured. Better than to be left with a concealed grenade in his redcoat. The Battle of Waterloo is represented by a huge table-top model, with narration explaining the order of events and overhead spotlights picking out where each element of the battle was conducted. There are numerous interactive exhibits for younger visitors (with plenty of the adults playing along too), but it's really the letters, poems, personal fears being voiced and tightly clasped treasures, which season the historical facts. The galleries also draw attention to past campaigners such as Mary Seacole, the Jamaican nurse whose exceptional contribution to the Crimean War was for over a century, greatly overshadowed by Florence Nightingale's.
The First and Second World War galleries at the National Army Museum were developed with considerable imagination. Like the Imperial War Museum, many of the displays incorporate sound effects: radio chatter, distant explosions, muted cries, broadcast warnings and sirens - which contribute to the atmosphere of a First World War trench, for example. I'd also like to congratulate 
the model makers, who've created epic scenes using everyday items like wire-wool and mesh, to mimic effects such as explosive smoke plumes. All theatres of operation are displayed, from the Chindits in Burma to the 8th Army Desert Rats in North Africa. The uppermost floor examines the Army's role, post WW2. Conflicts as diverse as the Cold War, Iraq and the Falklands are presented using a diverse range of media: video loops, news reports - even a mock-up of a living room. It's a thought provoking conclusion to a collection which manages to be detailed and comprehensive, without overwhelming visitors with raw facts.
I took no notes, but several months after visiting was able to recall, more or less everything I had seen. Which is testament to the interest of the displays, rather than faultless memory. There's a good cafe and an excellent Kids' Zone on the lower levels, which keeps everyone happy. The National Army Museum is an excellent way to pass a morning, in a feature rich area of London. I have only a couple of minor criticisms. Firstly: no photos. I believe it strongly hampers recommendation via social networks. A morning spent in the British Museum, or Science Museum will show you how many people recommend these places via their phones. It also means you must source article photos from Wiki-commons, which rarely capture the experience with a degree of originality. This may be related to the second issue, which is - why isn't The National Army Museum more popular? It certainly makes the Inside Guide to London's shortlist of top museums in the capital, with ease. So, 'ten-shun! Without doubt, among a handful London's best museums and certainly worth your time .
As you were.
Excerpt from British Forces News: picking the greatest general at the National Army Museum, London.
Entrance is free, though donations are welcome.
Opening Times:
10am-5:30pm Daily
Closed 25-26 December and 1 January.
The National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HT
Call: 020 7730 0717
Nearest Tube: Sloane Square
