The first-ever annual Big Story Festival is taking over IWM London during the National Year of Reading this October half-term (Sunday 25 – Monday 26 October 2026).
Featuring a special appearance by beloved children’s author Dame Jacqueline Wilson, the two-day family event will welcome a lineup of award-winning storytellers with a packed programme of author talks, creative workshops and interactive family activities.
Aimed at families with children of all ages, the festival’s themes are inspired by IWM London’s major exhibition for 2026 Childhood in War (31 July 2026 – 28 February 2027), the UK’s first exhibition dedicated to the impact of conflict on young people from the First World War to today.
Photographed 28th July 2026
Childhood in War is a free, interactive exhibition exploring how children have experienced conflict from 1914 to the present day. Let their unique perspective show you their adaptability and resilience, despite extraordinary and challenging circumstances.
Bring history to life as you step inside recreations of an evacuee train carriage and a Cold War-era kitchen, offering a glimpse into everyday life during times of conflict. Through personal stories, immersive displays and hands-on discovery, you can explore how war affects everything from school and play to home and health. Young visitors can also enjoy a literary trail inspired by much-loved children’s books.
Photographed 28th July 2026
Childhood in War is a free, interactive exhibition exploring how children have experienced conflict from 1914 to the present day. Let their unique perspective show you their adaptability and resilience, despite extraordinary and challenging circumstances.
Bring history to life as you step inside recreations of an evacuee train carriage and a Cold War-era kitchen, offering a glimpse into everyday life during times of conflict. Through personal stories, immersive displays and hands-on discovery, you can explore how war affects everything from school and play to home and health. Young visitors can also enjoy a literary trail inspired by much-loved children’s books.
Visitors to the festival can visit the free exhibition and discover personal testimonies, poignant objects and interactive displays exploring how war impacts every aspect of children’s lives, from play and schooling to health, home life and safety.
To coincide with the National Year of Reading, the Big Story Festival will take over IWM London this October half-term for an exciting two-day celebration of storytelling and discovery. The festival will bring together some of Britain’s best-loved children’s authors, who will be found along the Childhood in War exhibition literary trail. Families are invited to book their spot for talks with critically acclaimed author Judith Eagle, award-winning children’s writer Tom Palmer and beloved author Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
Budding readers can also head to the IWM Bookshop during the festival, where they will have the chance to meet authors featured in the exhibition, ask questions, and have copies of their books signed.
The festival will also feature a variety of free creative experiences for families to get involved in, including a drop-in illustration workshop for ages 8+, led by Illustrator Will Hughes. As well as a collaborative colouring in mural designed by Anna Bruder from A Line Art, that will delve into themes from the Childhood in War exhibition. To complement these sessions, family-friendly tours will run throughout the festival, uncovering remarkable stories from IWM’s permanent collection to inspire children to illustrate their discoveries at home.
Free entry with paid activities
Full details: https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/big-story-festival
