National Army Museum - Parachute adventures and Special Forces at the National Army Museum

Special Forces: In the Shadows Until 28 October 2018 £8.00, Kids go FREE This summer, take your chance to see our major exhibition, Special Forces: In the Shadows, with free entry for kids under 16. From the compass that SAS legend Paddy Mayne wrenched from an enemy plane cockpit in the Second World War, to a complete SAS Counter Terrorist Kit from 2007, this major exhibition features a wide range of amazing objects brought together for the first time. Bring your family and explore the world of the Special Forces. With personal testimonies, video and interactive challenges, discover who these elite soldiers are, the exceptional skills they need, and the secret missions they have undertaken. FIND OUT MORE

Talks, tours and events

Barrack Room Ballads 24 - 26 August 2018 £15.00 Marking the centenary of the end of the First World War, Youth Music Theatre UK and The Belfast Ensemble present a dynamic, new musical production inspired by the poetry of Rudyard Kipling. FIND OUT MORE 100 years since the 100 Days: How the First World War transformed the Army 10 August 2018, 11.30am FREE Join Dr Peter Johnston to discover how the First World War transformed the British Army beyond all recognition. FIND OUT MORE

The development of British artillery on the Western Front 24 August 2018, 11.30am FREE Andrew Breer will discuss the development of British artillery in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. FIND OUT MORE Curator tour: Special Forces Various dates £12.50 Join a curator on an hour-long tour of our major exhibition, Special Forces: In the Shadows. FIND OUT MORE

Family fun: Parachute adventures

Summer mission: Parachute adventures 21 July - 1 September 2018 (Mon - Sat only) FREE Fly high this summer with our free activities. Design a parachute, prepare for your mission and attempt to land safely on our Giant Parachute Drop Zone.  FIND OUT MORE

Parachute stories

Top parachute facts Military parachuting was pioneered by the Special Forces, among others, and makes up a vital part of their work. Check out these fun facts and put your parachute knowledge to the test. FIND OUT MORE Special Forces: Could you make the cut? British Special Forces selection is one of the hardest military tests. Listen to the stories of Special Forces veterans as they reveal some of the hard, sometimes gruesome, truths about the challenges of their training, including parachute training. FIND OUT MORE

Portrait photography course

Portrait photography course with Rory Lewis 29 September 2018, 10.00am £149.00 Inspired by his recent exhibition, Soldiery - which featured 278 portraits of British Army soldiers - Rory Lewis leads this course focused on developing your skills in portrait photography. FIND OUT MORE

Book signings

Lost Warriors: Seagrim and Pagani of Burma 7 September 2018, 11.30am FREE Philip Davies tells the story of Major Hugh Seagrim, the ‘TE Lawrence of Burma’. FIND OUT MORE The Special Boat Squadron in the Second World War: A band of renegade cut-throats 31 August 2018, 11.30am FREE Author Gavin Mortimer discusses the history of the Special Boat Squadron. FIND OUT MORE

Flag for the future

Vietnam, An Epic Tragedy, 1945-75 26 September 2018, 6.30pm £15.00 Best-selling author Sir Max Hastings discusses his new book on Vietnam. The book brings to life the vivid realities of a war that killed over 2 million people. FIND OUT MORE Brutalism and modern architecture in Chelsea 22 September 2018, 2.00pm FREE Part of a series of activities around Open House London2018 at the Museum, Christopher Beanland will give an introduction to Brutalist architecture, explaining how the National Army Museum building fits with the Chelsea landscape. FIND OUT MORE

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Pity Until 11 August 2018 Royal Court Theatre A normal day. A person stands in the market square watching the world go by. What happens next verges on the ridiculous. There’s ice cream. Sunshine. Shops. Some dogs. A wedding. Bombs. Candles. Blood. Lightning. Sandwiches. And tanks. Rory Mullarkey’s new play asks whether things really are getting worse. And if we care.   FIND OUT MORE The Great British Seaside exhibition Until 30 September 2018 National Maritime Museum A major photography exhibition celebrating the nation’s love affair with the seaside, featuring work from the past six decades by leading photographers Tony Ray-Jones, David Hurn, Simon Roberts and Martin Parr. Image credit: Martin Parr/Magnum Photos FIND OUT MORE