IWM Announces Near‑£1M 'Vision & Purpose' Rebrand To Reach Younger Visitors — Staff And Donor Criticise

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) has launched a major rebranding programme called Vision & Purpose (V&P), expected to cost close to £1 million, aimed at broadening the museum's focus to include more recent conflicts that museum leaders say younger visitors find easier to relate to.

What The Rebrand Will Cover

According to the IWM Corporate Plan 2025–2028 and the three‑year strategy for 2026–2029, the programme will introduce new displays and temporary exhibitions that highlight conflicts "within many of our visitors' living memory", including the Cold War, the Falklands, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The museum says the work will also produce a refreshed visual identity and tone of voice to explain more clearly why IWM exists.

Costs And Contractors

Insiders say about £500,000 has been ringfenced for the V&P project, but when a project director (budgeted at about £80,000 a year) and consultancy fees are included the total is expected to approach £1m. London consultancy Johnson Banks has been awarded a contract reportedly worth £165,000 to help develop the museum's new visual identity. The firm has previously worked with charities such as Shelter and Christian Aid.

The museum is planning a swathe of new displays showcasing more recent conflicts - Universal Images Group via Getty Images/Prisma Bildagentur

Staff Concerns And Gallery Closure

The rebrand follows the controversial February 2025 closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which housed more than 200 Victoria Crosses (VCs) and several George Crosses. Lord Ashcroft — who lent the museum his roughly £70m medal collection in 2010 — criticised the museum's direction and has described the decision to return his medals as "baffling." Some staff have accused leadership of "turning its back on the past".

"I am concerned for the future wellbeing of a national institution... My concern is that the senior leadership is putting this duty at risk," said an anonymous senior employee.

An internal survey obtained by the press found 52% of respondents were neutral or negative about whether V&P made them feel positive about the museum's future, and 68% were neutral or negative about whether the rebrand made them feel positive about their role. The IWM said that fewer than 20% of staff completed that survey.

Financial Pressures And Staffing Cuts

The museum is reportedly forecasting a deficit of about £1.2m for the coming year and plans to cut roughly 10% of its full‑time workforce — around 50 posts — to save approximately £2.6m over the next three years. Director General Caro Howell has invited staff to apply for a voluntary exit programme with compensation packages.

Lord Ashcroft at the IWM where his collection of VCs were on display until last year - Paul Grover

Staff grievance is heightened by reported increases in senior leadership pay: combined executive remuneration rose by 17% after the leadership team expanded from five to seven members, with combined compensation moving from £765,000 in 2024 to £890,000 in 2025. Ms Howell's reported salary is £160,000, with total reported compensation of £230,000 in the latest accounts.

Museum Response

An IWM spokesman said: "Telling the stories of the First and Second World Wars is, and will continue to be, at the heart of IWM's mission. The Vision & Purpose project is about ensuring those stories — and contemporary conflicts — continue to connect with future generations." The museum added that V&P forms part of a wider strategy to reach new audiences, deepen engagement and improve long‑term financial sustainability.

The rebrand programme has prompted a heated public debate about how national museums should balance stewardship of historic collections with efforts to remain relevant to younger and more diverse audiences. The IWM says it intends to maintain core collections while broadening the narratives on display.