Imperial War Museum & Jack the Ripper Tour

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On this trip to London I visited the Imperial War Museum with one of my history classes. Most of the exhibits in there I thought were pretty boring because they were just about weapons and army vehicles and other military technology, but there were also some parts that discussed deeper more meaningful subjects like the psychological impact of war; there was a holocaust exhibition, and they also had a section that dealt with how WWII affected children in Britain and looked at war from the perspective of the children that lived through it. They also had some war propaganda posters on the walls which I thought were pretty funny so I took a bunch of pictures of those.




Later I went on a "Jack the Ripper walking tour" with my British studies class (we had been talking about Jack the Ripper as a historical and popular figure and how the evolving interpretations of him reflect the values and fears of British society). We went around the the area where the murders took place and the guide pointed out significant landmarks. It really wasn't a good tour at all; the things the guide showed us didn't correspond with the parts of the story he would be telling at the time, and he kept jumping around to different subjects. And we didn't really see anything worth taking pictures of. I was disappointed cause I had thought it would be really interesting, but it was seriously the lamest and most pointless tour I think I've ever taken.

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Photos

Imperial War Museum
I thought this was hilarious. It's called the "squander bug." It was a character created to teach people not to waste food and materials by buying things they don't need. It's so freaky-looking, but in a humorous way. I love how it has little swastikas all over its body, hahaha.

Imperial War Museum
cartoon featuring the squander bug

Imperial War Museum
Madonna and Child painting... with gas masks. I get the point they're trying to make, and I think its a good statement, but I also think its extremely funny. One of my favorite parts of that museum for sure.

Imperial War Museum
propaganda posters

Imperial War Museum
in the "children & war" section they had a random area about the Wizard of Oz with a yellow-brick road painted on the floor and little ruby slippers.

Imperial War Museum
big elephant covered with foil pictures that represent the role of animals in war

Imperial War Museum
close up of the elephant