Space and place – Imperial War Museum North

This paper seeks to explore the Imperial War Museum North, located in Salford, and how it relates to both consumers and the wider area.

Utilising the work of Edward Soja, the authors aim to understand how his work serves to facilitate a greater understanding of both the museum itself as a space, and the role the physical place plays in the context of the local surroundings.

It is found that, the role of the museum is as a form of “culturally led regeneration”, in line with Soja's notion of “thirdspace”.

The paper will appeal to those who are concerned with town planning, urban regeneration and the role of museums in contemporary space and place.