Visit Victoria Cross gallery at IWM before it's gone, Ashcroft urges public

The Imperial War Museum in London has announced the permanent closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which houses around 200 Victoria Crosses and George Crosses.

On June 1 2025, the gallery will close, with the medals placed in storage while the museum undergoes redevelopment.

Lord Ashcroft, whose £5m donation helped open the gallery in 2010, expressed disappointment over the decision, urging visitors to see the collection before it closes.

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He posted on X: "Sad for me. I've got this from the Imperial War Museums closing the Lord Ashcroft Gallery displaying around 200 VCs representing the finest deeds of servicemen in the UK's history.

"Sadly into storage for the time being and my £5m cost to open lost. Please visit before closing…"

The IWM says the closure is part of a wider effort to update its galleries and better represent conflicts beyond the World Wars.

Since 1968, the museum has displayed Victoria Crosses and George Crosses, and it remains committed to showcasing stories of bravery and sacrifice.

"We plan for VC and GC medals from the Imperial War Museum's collection to continue to be displayed across our UK branches, integrated within galleries that tell the full story of the conflict in which these acts of bravery occurred," the museum stated.

The IWM is working on new gallery spaces on its upper floors to expand coverage of more recent conflicts, including the Cold War, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Lord Ashcroft Gallery has been a key feature of the museum since it opened, with its collection including some of the most famous gallantry medals in British military history.

While some medals will return in future exhibits, the full Lord Ashcroft collection will no longer be on display in one dedicated space.

The museum has thanked Lord Ashcroft and other private lenders for making the collection accessible for the past 15 years.

However, the decision marks the end of a standalone gallery dedicated solely to gallantry medals, shifting focus to broader narratives of war and conflict.

Visitors have until 1 June 2025 to see the gallery before it closes permanently.