Discover the extraordinary story of two exhibitions held at the Wallace Collection in 1942. In discussing our display, The Wallace Collection at War, Dr Alison Smith will reveal a fascinating story of the museum’s important contribution to the war effort. 

You will learn how more than 900 works by contemporary artists were shown in the exhibition, Artists Aid Russia to raise funds for Clementine Churchill’s Red Cross Aid to Russia Fund, while 25 Years of Progress repurposed the museum’s empty galleries into immersive information halls with banners, photomontages and statistics. 

About the speaker:  Dr Alison Smith is Director of Collections and Research at the Wallace Collection, having previously worked at the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Britain. She has published widely on British and European 19th- and 20th-century art, her most recent publication being Edvard Munch Portraits (NPG 2025). 

Take part at the museum: No ticket required, drop in on the day. Join us in the Theatre for this special talk. 

Watch online: This talk will also be broadcast live from the museum via Zoom. Book a free ticket online to receive a Zoom link. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks only.