24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
IWM Duxford To Be New Home For Airborne Forces Museum
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
12/11/2007
Image: an aerial veiw of an airfield
An aerial view of the museum and airfield at Duxford. © IWM Duxford
The Airborne Forces Museum (ABFM) collection, currently residing at Aldershot Military Museum is to be relocated to a new dedicated facility at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) Duxford.
The first stage of Airborne Assault Duxford, which is due to open in autumn 2008, was launched on November 12 2007 at Duxford’s state-of-the-art Airspace building. At its core will be ParaData, a new digital archive, accessible through terminals.
An interactive history British Airborne Forces will include people, units, campaigns and decorations and an online illustrated A to Z of operations from 1940 to the present day.
Image: an artist's sketch of a museum interior with displays
An artist's sketch for the new museum. © IWM
Veteran’s experiences and memories will also be captured on film and audio and preserved as part of the multimedia display.
General Sir Mike Jackson, President of the Airborne Assault Duxford Appeal said: “This is much more than a museum. Airborne Forces were to the fore at Normandy, Arnhem, the Falklands, Kosovo and Iraq, and now in Afghanistan. Airborne Assault celebrates the past, records history as it happens through modern media technology, and will point to the future.”
Funding is also being sought for a stage two of the development – a unique stand-alone History of Military Parachuting centre with an Activity Zone, which will be built around parachute training programmes open to all ages and abilities. This facility will be used for team building exercises and community programmes.
Image: a photograph of an aircraft hangar
The new museum will be housed in Duxford's new state of the art Airspace Gallery. ©: IWM
“Our vision is that the spirit of Airborne Forces - leadership, courage, discipline, fitness and teamwork - will be brought alive at this world-class venue,” added General Jackson.
The partnership agreement to relocate the Airborne Forces Museum from Aldershot to IWM Duxford was first made after an exhaustive review of 17 UK sites. The original vision was to go beyond the conventional regimental military museum and meet the varied demands of a wider public in a single building.
Feasibility and development work by the partnership of ABFM and IWM has worked to create a series of facilities that will achieve this goal in a prudent, affordable and sustainable manner.
A new website, featuring many of the interactive elements of the new museum, will launch shortly at www.airborneassault-duxford.com.
Imperial War Museum Duxford
Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridge, CB22 4QR, Cambridgeshire, England
Open: Winter 10.00am - 4.00pm
Summer (mid March - mid October inclusive) 10.00am - 6.00pm (last admission 5.15pm)
Closed: 24, 25 and 26 December
Related Articles
V&A, IWM Duxford And Roald Dahl Museum Win Tourism Oscars
Remembrance Day 2007 - UK Museums Remember The Fallen
Duxford's New AirSpace Hangar Ready For July Opening
News In Brief - Week Ending June 17 2007
News In Brief - Week Ending June 10 2007
UK Museums Commemorate Remembrance Weekend 2006
Remembrance 2006 - UK Museums Remember The Fallen
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
The Art Of Disappearing And How To Make Social Housing Sparkle
News In Brief - Museums, Galleries And Heritage News
Archaeological Dig To Uncover The Mysteries Of Carisbrooke Castle
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham Launches Library Debate
T.M. Hemy Mauretania Oil Painting From QE2 Handed To Discovery Museum
English Heritage In Nationwide Search For Young History Presenter
National Trust Wades Into The Water And Flood Management Debate
Sir Christopher Frayling: 'Unlock Creative Potential Of Collections'
New Their Past Your Future Projects Bring Generations Together
Two Of Britain's Roman And Maritime Heritage Sites Get Major Funding Boost
Winners Of Young Archaeologist Of The Year Awards 2008 Announced
Shock And Gore - Controversial Artwork Opens Brighton Photo Biennial
Black History Month Celebrates African Diaspora During October
Archaeologists Discover Roman Coastline - Two Miles Inland
London Photomonth Photography Festival Gets Underway
TV Archaeologist Julian Richards To Give Talk In Norwich
Vounteers Descend On Welwyn Roman Baths For A Major Clean Up
Beamish Museum Acquires Victorian Credit Crunch Watercolours
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.