The 2026 Ramsay Murray lecture was given at Selwyn on May 15th by Director General at Imperial War Museums (IWM), Caro Howell MBE. Her title was “War and Peace: The role of Imperial War Museums in the twenty-first century.”  

To begin Selwyn’s flagship lecture, Caro outlined the IWM’s origins in 1917 as a social history museum, created to represent the “experience, service and sacrifice of everyone, including men and women, military and civilian, young and old, and even human and animal.” 

Caro emphasised that the museum’s collections reveal how conflict shapes every aspect of society, from technological innovation to changing social roles. She spoke about how personal stories and objects are used to humanise war and connect audiences with the lived experience behind historical events. 

A central theme of the lecture was the challenge of maintaining relevance for contemporary audiences. Caro noted that many people today feel little direct connection to historic conflicts such as the Second World War, while others misunderstand the purpose of the IWM. Citing audience research, she noted that many assume the museum offers only displays of military hardware and a dry history lesson, rather than “emotional, inspiring and human-centred stories about the present as well as the past.” She argued that this perception makes adaptation essential, with the museum increasingly incorporating contemporary conflicts, digital innovation and more inclusive forms of storytelling.

The lecture also highlighted the growing importance of museums as trusted sources of evidence in an age of misinformation, as well as the need to engage new and younger audiences through digital platforms, immersive experiences and collaborative projects. Ultimately, Caro argued that the future of the IWM lies in making their stories relevant and ensuring that people can see their own lives reflected in the histories of conflict.