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Lambeth Road, SE1
Lambeth North
Britain's foremost collection documenting the history of 20th Century warfare is housed in the former lunatic asylum known infamously as 'Bedlam'. In addition to the Imperial War Museum's collection of military hardware, the visitor will find engrossing exhibits relating to life during war for both the civilian and the soldier.
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Relive the chill of eighties’ atomic paranoia at the Cold War exhibit in the museum’s basement. Here you’ll find the government’s notorious "Protect and Survive" booklet, first published in 1981. "Protect and Survive" describes how to survive a full scale nuclear war by building a fall-out shelter from old doors and bags of earth. It became a cultural inspiration for a whole generation, and featured in countless songs, plays and films--most famously Raymond Briggs’ animated movie "When the Wind Blows".
Also on view are the sinister animated public information films intended for broadcast should Armageddon be imminent. Connoisseurs of the classic "Charlie Says…" children’s road safety campaign of the 1970’s may be horrified to learn that the two very different films share the same creator: Richard Taylor. The narrator of the film, Patrick Allen, was chosen to be the voice of the Nuclear Attack warnings in Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s "Two Tribes".
contributor: Nigel Hayler
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