A free interactive exhibition Childhood in War, opens at IWM London soon, offering an exploration of how children have experienced conflict from 1914 to the present day, helping visitors understand war from a child’s perspective. Artefacts on display include much-loved children’s books set in wartime.
Childhood in War (31st July 2026 – 28th February 2027) is IWM’s major summer exhibition, revealing the impact of conflict on children from the First World War to the present day and helping visitors understand war from a child’s perspective.
Appealing to both families and adult visitors, the exhibition highlights the impact of war on day-to-day life, from play and schooling to health, home life and safety. The exhibition, suitable for children aged 8+, features a literary trail of much-loved children’s books – collect a stamp at six different points, where children can engage with the stories of fictional characters.
With over 450 million children, more than one in six globally, according to figures reported by UNICEF and United Nations, now living in areas affected by
conflict, it is impossible to understand the true impact of war without knowing their stories.
The exhibition includes personal testimonies of hope, danger and perseverance alongside interactive and hands-on experiences, from a large-scale evacuee train carriage to recreations of 20th century wartime games.
As visitors journey through Childhood in War, they will step into immersive recreations of historic rooms, see objects displayed for the first time and encounter items and stories shared by leading child rights organisations including UNICEF, Right to Learn Afghanistan and War Child. These include a UNICEF photo of nine-year-olds Alina and Artem in an underground car park which serves as a bomb shelter in Ukraine.
The exhibition will help families understand and discuss conflict and also appeal to young people and adults interested in the lives of children affected by war. A full programme of events and activities will accompany the exhibition, including a family story festival in October half term.
Immersive recreations and historic objects
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that every child has the right to play, but in war this is often impossible. Visitors will step into a recreated Second World War bedroom to explore how children have continued to play during wartime, and why play has remained so important in moments of conflict.
On display are powerful personal stories, including a teddy bear still treasured by Holocaust survivor John Hajdu, given to him by his parents when he was three years old and his constant companion throughout the horrors of the Holocaust. Families will also be able to play wartime games and learn about the sinister side of play, by exploring the indoctrination of the Hitler Youth and the Soviet Union’s KOMSOMOL movement.
Visitors will board a World War Two train carriage to discover the experiences of evacuees, with letters sent home and newly recorded video testimony. Further on, objects carried by children on the Kindertransport include a red knitted jumper belonging to Jochewet Heidenstein, given to her by her parents, shortly before she and her sisters departed for the UK.
A Cold War-era living room and kitchen illustrates how children’s homes and health are impacted by conflict, with a period television showing a public awareness film and a rotary phone playing oral histories. A “make do and mend” activity invites children to design their own toys, while letters, photographs and messages show how military families stay connected.
Children’s Books
The experience of children in wartime has influenced popular culture by capturing the imagination of writers. Throughout the exhibition, there will be a focus on much-loved children’s books set in wartime, with a literary trail for children to engage with the stories of fictional characters created by authors including Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Deborah Ellis.
A World War Two classroom will highlight how children’s education is affected by conflict, with posters and comics from Northern Ireland, Afghanistan and the former Yugoslavia warning about the dangers of objects like explosives and mines.
The IWM has published a special Childhood in War book to tie in with the exhibition, further exploring the experience of children during wartime from 1914 to the present day.
Contemporary Stories
These historical experiences are explored alongside contemporary stories and quotes from Afghanistan, Ukraine and Sudan. A poem by a 15-year-old girl describes the feelings of panic and fear when the Taliban took control of Kabul on 15 August 2021: “I witnessed how that day darkened not only Kabul’s sky, but also the dreams and hopes of so many”.
Childhood in War concludes by exploring how children have expressed the impact of conflict in their own words and images, through drawings, poems and letters. Drawings by three children from Sudan show their homes being attacked. They were collected by NGO Waging Peace and used as evidence of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Poems written by young people in Ukraine as part of UNICEF’s Poems for Peace initiative include one boy’s poignant longing for a future free from war: “Peace, it’s not just words to me. It’s when no sirens sound
and I’m free…where normal childhood we can live through”.
This yearning for a better future was also felt by young people across the UK who voted for “peace” as their Oxford Children’s word of the year in 2025.
“Children’s voices and experiences of conflict matter,” notes Craig Murray, Lead Curator of Childhood in War. “Their stories offer us a unique perspective
on the impact of war. By providing a hands-on exploration of childhood through conflict, Childhood in War offers a space for families to reflect, learn and discuss difficult topics together in a world increasingly torn apart by conflict.”
Anne-Claire Dufay, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine said: “In Ukraine, the war has devastated childhood. The physical and mental toll is immense and exacerbated by disrupted education, loss of family and friends, and young lives that have moved
underground to stay safe. The experiences and stories shared by children, young people and families reveal the horrific reality of war, but also the hope that pervades, reminding us all why protecting childhood must be prioritised.”
• Childhood in War runs from 31st July 2026 to 28th February 2027 at IWM London, Lambeth Road, London, SE1 6HZ | Free | What3Words: ///fluid.bulb.rear | Web: iwm.org.uk/events/childhood-in-war
IWM recommend allowing 60 to 90 minutes to enjoy this exhibition as part of your visit to IWM London
Nearest London Underground and rail stations: Lambeth North, Elephant and Castle and Waterloo. There is no general car parking at IWM London. There are a limited number of designated blue badge parking spaces which must be reserved at least three days in advance.
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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