05 December 2020
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The American Air Museum at Imperial War Museum Duxford, Europe’s largest air museum, has been listed at Grade II* by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.
This new listing includes the memorial glass sculpture (pictured) ‘Counting the Cost’ that lines the approach ramp leading to the museum entrance.
What is a Grade II listing?
The National Heritage List for England is held and managed by Historic England on behalf of the Government and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It identifies the buildings, sites and landscapes which receive special protection, so they can be enjoyed by current and future generations. There are over 400,000 items on the List, covering England's most valued historic places. There are three grades of listing – Grade II, Grade II*[star] and Grade I.
The American AIr Museum at IWM Duxford
The American Air Museum was purpose-built at IWM Duxford between 1995 and 1997 to exhibit Imperial War Museums’ collection of American military aircraft, widely regarded as the most impressive group outside the United States. IWM Duxford is considered Britain’s best-preserved Second World War airfield, from which historic and contemporary flying continues today.
The American Air Museum at IWM Duxford was designed by renowned architects Foster + Partners in collaboration with Ove Arup and Partners as consulting engineers. Although not yet 30 years old, the museum is considered an outstanding and innovative architectural site and won critical acclaim in 1998 when it was awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize.
The museum's displays not only acknowledge the emergence and dominance of US air power during the 20th century, but also pay tribute to the 30,000 airmen who lost their lives flying out of British bases during the Second World War with Renato Niemis’ evocative memorial sculpture, ‘Counting the Cost’, which is made up of 52 large glass panels engraved with cross-like silhouettes of the 7,031 American aircraft that were lost on operations, evocatively resembles both the massed formations of aircraft and the regimented lines of a war cemetery.
A hugely important story
John Brown, Executive Director of Commerce and Operations at IWM, said: “We are delighted that the innovative design and architectural significance of the American Air Museum has been recognised through a Grade II* listing. The American Air Museum tells a hugely important story in not only the history of IWM Duxford, but of the allied forces during the Second World War, highlighting the contribution that thousands of American service men and women made to the conflict. We needed the building that houses those fascinating stories to be a fitting testament to their service, and that was definitely achieved.”
Visit IWM Duxford
IWM Duxford reopened to the public on 3 December. In addition to the American Air Museum, visitors can also step foot into the former nerve centre of RAF Duxford in the newly opened Ops Block: Battle of Britain and explore the transformed Battle of Britain Exhibition in Hangar 4 during this 80th anniversary year since the decisive aerial campaign. The temporary exhibition, Captain Sir Tom At 100, is also open to visitors in Land Warfare Hall with the chance to get up close to a selection of his birthday cards and discover more about what Captain Tom would have experienced during the Burma campaign in the permanent ‘The Forgotten War’ exhibit.
Find out more at the American Air Museum at IWM Duxford website.
Report and images courtesy IWM Museum Duxford.
