Big Day Out in London ... the beginning ...

We planned a big day out in London to take in a couple of museums and some of the sights of the City. It's been something we wanted to do this year so that we could visit the Imperial War Museum mainly to see the exhibition that is on this year by the Ministry of Food Dig for Victory campaign, celebrating it's 70th year anniversary of the campaign. The other main aim was to go to the Natural History Museum.

So a drive to the train station and then travel cards in hand to go into Waterloo station. We had looked at where the various museums were and decided to go to the IWM first as it wasn't far from Waterloo. The plan was to catch the bus but as we walked we realised we were pretty close to the museum by the time we found the right bus-stop so carried on walking.

Wartime farm exhibition

In the grounds of the IWM there was a free exhibition on The Wartime Farm which I'd seen on the website. This was a fun little exhibition with some animals and the highlight for Imogen was a full size model of a cow with teats to have a go at hand-milking! She's seen this done at our local working museum farm but never had a go before, so this was a bit of fun and she said afterwards that she might have a go next time we go to the farm.

Imogen had a thing about different poses
for photos in London (?!?!)

Onwards to the museum, with a huge cannon outside, and a piece of the Berlin wall with a wonderful message.

How true

We entered and were amazed at the amount of planes, tanks, etc that were in the main hall. I'm pleased looking back that I didn't look at the details of this on the website before visiting, it had a greater effect just walking into the unknown. All were explored with great interest and Imogen had lots of questions which we tried to answer as best we could. We learned a lot ourselves too. It is a fantastic museum, with many exhibitions we would love to return to another time. Some quite grim but in our view important to see, although the holocaust one may not be appropriate for Imogen at her tender age.

the fabulous main hall displaysThe unmistakable Spitfire

Imogen loved the submarine exhibition area, trying out the periscope, etc.

Greenhouse display in the exhibition

We headed to the Ministry of Food exhibition and stopped by the shop eyeing things we would probably purchase as souvenirs of our visit. We were not disappointed by the exhibition - so much to see, so many of the posters and booklets I've seen online or in some shops. Some fabulous artwork too.

Some of the posters
Garden (and other) friends and foes

Listening to broadcasts

There were many listening points to listen to broadcasts from Mr Middleton about growing your own food, and radio broadcasts about cooking, making do, mending, war on waste, etc, etc. The wartime grocery store was wonderful to see.

Wartime shoppingImogen baked me a pie in the wartime kitchen area

Carrot on a stick instead of sweets

end of rationing

A visit to the shop to buy souvenirs and a couple of postcards and we headed off to the tube station to make our way to the Natural History Museum.

If anyone is interested in the Dig for Victory campaign, wartime living, etc - I highly recommend a visit to this exhibition before if closes in January 2011. I highly recommend a visit to the IWM anyway, whatever interests you, so much to see and learn.

Natural History museum and other London sights in another post ...