Talking with images: collecting and displaying private photographs and testimony in Imperial War Museums’ Holocaust Galleries

This article examines the Imperial War Museums' (IWM) engagement with Holocaust survivors and their photographs. A key concern is photographs and testimonies' roles in the transformation of individual memory into the cultural memory of the Holocaust. Of concern is why and how private photographs are used as a significant resource in IWMs Holocaust Galleries and the impact that on the museum's narrative of Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust. The article acknowledges the challenges faced by curators as they strive to accommodate the expectations of stakeholders whilst simultaneously maintaining historical accuracy and engaging the reflective capacities of visitors.