I take a quick stroll through a top-notch London Museum
Earlier this week I had a meeting at The National Army Museum in London. (Yes, some days I love my job). Although I only had about twenty minutes to look around, it was enough to form an overall impression, and enough to make me want to go back when I have more time.
Located in Chelsea, the Museum presents the history of the British soldier, supposedly from 1066 to present. In point of fact, it really focuses on the last three hundred years, but that still leaves plenty to cover.
The real highlight for me was the extensive and impressive collection of oil paintings that line the hallways, staircases, and museum gallery. I had seen many of the paintings before, reproduced in books, but there is nothing like seeing the original. Some of them are truly immense. My favorite was the famous painting of Isandlawana by Charles Edwin Fripp (1854-1906). There were also several really nice ones depicting the Sudan War.
One of the other main draws of the museum is its collection of uniforms. I was lucky enough to see an authentic uniform from a Napoleonic Highlander, which is very useful as I'm just about to paint a little group of Highlander miniatures for wargaming.
The entire museum is very attractively laid out, with a very good bookstore and a Costa coffee in which to rest and relax. The museum is not on the main tourist tract, but it is definitely worth a visit.
