2009 AT THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH

Having been named one of the top 10 buildings of the last century in the 2008 Rough Guide to England, the Imperial War Museum North is looking forward to 2009’s rich mix of exhibitions and programs.  IWMN is about people and their stories, about how lives have been and still are, shaped by war and conflict.  Below are some of the fantastic new major exhibitions, additions to permanent displays, and community outreach programs coming up in 2009 a the Imperial War Museum North, the stunning Libeskind-designed museum in Trafford, Manchester, UK. 

NEW MAJOR EXHIBITIONS
Witness: Women War Artists
Special Exhibitions Gallery, 7 February to 19 April 2009
Focusing on the experiences and works of women war artists from the First World War to the Kosovo conflict, this major art exhibition brings together work from Imperial War Museum’s outstanding art collection for the first time in 50 years and recent acquisitions never before on public display.

Prisoners of War (working title)
Special Exhibitions Gallery 23 May 2009 – January 2010
This is the first major exhibition held by the Imperial War Museum to examine the experience of prisoners of war during the Second World War, the qualities and endurance called upon to survive and the lasting legacy of an often harsh environment.

365 – Ghislaine Howard
The WaterWay, 7 March – 21 June 2009
365 is a daily meditation by the critically acclaimed Derbyshire artist Ghislaine Howard on one news image selected from the Guardian newspaper for each day of the year.

Moving Minds (working title)
The WaterWay, 27 June – October 2009
Produced by local young people this exhibition explores their responses to the Museum, its content and themes.

Life Behind The Wall (working title)
The WaterWay , November 2009 - February 2010
To mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on the 9th November 1989, Imperial War Museum North presents a photographic display showing how a city was cut in two. Drawing on IWM’s photographic archive the small but powerful display will explore how the Wall split a city, and so too it’s population.

NEW TO THE PERMANENT DISPLAYS IN 2009
Out of the Vaults (working title)
From 2009 Imperial War Museum North will be showcasing rare artifacts from the Imperial War Museum collection. One special item will be brought out for display in the Main Exhibition Space for a restricted amount of time.

Living Objects
Large objects on open display in the Main Exhibition Space from a T34 Tank to a Harrier Jet will be brought to life through light and sound at the touch of a button.

Legacy of War Silo
A new exhibition “silo” dedicated to the Legacy of War will explore the physical and emotional impacts of war and conflict on individuals, and the inter-relationships between damaged landscapes and communities.

TimeStacks
Our TimeStacks offer a chance for visitors to explore objects from the Museum’s handling collection.

Military Pride film
Homosexuality was decriminalized in civil law in the UK in 1967 but remained illegal in the Armed Forces until 1994. A new film installation in the Experiences of War silo in the Main Exhibition Space explores the experiences of 4 openly gay men who served in the British Armed Forces.

REACHING OUT
As well as mounting powerful exhibition programs and public events, Imperial War Museum North is a hub for learning in the region and provides schools, colleges and universities with dynamic learning sessions. The Museum has also touched the lives of thousands of people through going out on the road and via its innovative outreach programs which include:

Live and Learn - a new pioneering project funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation aiming to make the cultural sector more accessible to learners of all ages and abilities, who do not usually visit cultural venues. A free course aimed at group leaders is designed to give confidence, skills and resources to bring groups to visit museums, libraries and archives, increasing the enjoyment of diverse groups of visitors and providing a model for other cultural organizations.

Award-winning volunteer program - the groundbreaking ‘In Touch’ Volunteer Program, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund has been running for two years and is a joint initiative between Imperial War Museum North and The Manchester Museum. It provides training and skills to people in the greatest need in Greater Manchester, is the first project of its kind in the cultural field and has attracted wide interest from central government and regional agencies to international cultural venues. Through the program individuals at risk of social exclusion gain work experience, skills and qualifications, meet new people, and ultimately develop their self esteem, interpersonal skills and confidence. A number of volunteers have since gone on to employment or further learning.

Veterans North – over 200 members (and growing) from across the Northern regions spanning from the Second World War to more recent conflicts. Veterans North connects with veterans who proactively engage with the Museum and share their stories to develop learning resources, participate in learning sessions and add to IWM archives as well as enhancing the content of contemporary exhibitions.

Moving Minds – Funded by the DfES and the DCMS the project aims to inspire and engage young people using museum collections as experimental ways of learning.

ABOUT THE IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM NORTH
Open 7 days a week from 10am - 6pm (Nov to Feb 10am - 5pm) with free admission
The Quays, Trafford Wharf Road, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 1TZ
(close to Harbour City Metrolink and Junction 9 of the M60)
T: 0161 836 4000 E:iwmnorth@iwm.org.uk www.iwm.org.uk

Imperial War Museum North, which opened to visitors on 5 July 2002, has fast become one of the most popular visitor attractions in the North West, already receiving over 1, 700,000 visitors. It is on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in Trafford, in a spectacular award-winning building designed by the internationally renowned architect, Daniel Libeskind.

The Museum tells the story of how war has affected the lives of British and Commonwealth citizens since 1914. It is the 5th branch of the Imperial War Museum and the first outside the South East of England. Recently voted one of the top 3 Large Visitor Attractions in England (Silver Award at VisitBritain’s Excellence in England Awards 2007) and one of the top 10 buildings of the last century (Rough Guide to England 2008) other notable awards include a Special Commendation (second-only to First Prize) in the European Museum of the Year Awards 2004. The Museum has also been a finalist in the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize.

CONTACT:     Studio Daniel Libeskind: 
                     Lynn Krogh, Director of Public Relations
                     T: +1 (212) 497-9114; Mobile: +1 (917) 378-9302
                     PublicRelations@daniel-libeskind.com