• 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London
National Army Museum
  • 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London

Napoleonic Wars

Defence of the Chateau de Hougoumont during the Battle of Waterloo, 1815

Defence of the Chateau de Hougoumont during the Battle of Waterloo, 1815
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Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18 June 1815 between Napoleon’s French Army and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher. It was the decisive battle of its age.

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Explore Napoleonic Wars stories

The bombardment of Copenhagen, September 1807

The Copenhagen Expedition

In 1807, the Royal Navy and the Army undertook a joint operation to prevent the powerful Danish fleet from falling into French hands. It ended with the British occupation of Copenhagen and the capture of Danish warships.

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Major-General John Alexander Dunlop Wallace, Colonel of the 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers), c1835

General Sir John Alexander Wallace

John Alexander Wallace commanded the 1st Battalion of the 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) during the Peninsular War. His courage and leadership helped forge the identity and fighting reputation of this celebrated Irish unit.

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The Battle of Busaco, 27 September 1810

Peninsular War

From 1808 to 1814, the British Army, aided by its Spanish and Portuguese allies, held off superior numbers of French troops before driving them out of Iberia. They then carried the war into France, playing an important part in Napoleon's first overthrow.

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Samovar taken from Napoleon’s baggage after the Battle of Waterloo, 1815

The Emperor’s samovars

Two samovars that belonged to French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte shed light on his disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812. They also show how practices like tea drinking spread through different cultures.

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Coatee worn at Waterloo by Brigade-Major Thomas Noel Harris, 1815

Waterloo coatee’s provenance confirmed

In 2015, the National Army Museum was presented with a rare coatee worn by Major Thomas Harris at the Battle of Waterloo. A combination of historical evidence and modern forensic analysis was used to confirm its authenticity.

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General Sir John Moore, c1805

John Moore: Alone with his glory

An army reformer and pioneer of light infantry units, General Sir John Moore's inspired leadership at Corunna in 1809 saved an army from destruction, but led to his death in action.

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Battle of Salamanca, 1812

Battle of Salamanca

The Earl of Wellington's victory at Salamanca in July 1812 defied his reputation as a purely defensive general and shattered French dominance on the Iberian Peninsula.

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The Duke of Wellington, c1820

Wellington: The Iron Duke

Whether you know him as Arthur Wellesley, the Iron Duke, or even Old Nosey, the Duke of Wellington is the British Army’s most famous commander.

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Burberry trench coat, 2014

Army fashion statements

The Army's influence on fashion is not new. Military dress has made its way from conflict to catwalk over and over again.

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Marengo's skull

Marengo’s makeover

We sent Napoleon's horse Marengo to the Natural History Museum to prepare him for display in the new galleries.

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Napoleon at Waterloo, 1815

Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18 June 1815 between Napoleon’s French Army and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher. It was the decisive battle of its age.

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Sir William Inglis, 1820

William Inglis: The original die-hard

Major-General Sir William Inglis had a long and successful career. But it was his actions in the Peninsular War, when he showed enormous personal courage and leadership under fire, that earned him national fame.

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Explore Napoleonic Wars events

Captain William Siborne, c1830
Members Only At Museum

15 June 2023, 6.00pm

FREE

Siborne Lecture: Clearing the Waterloo Battlefield

Join us for the first annual Siborne Lecture, co-hosted by RUSI, to explore the history and culture of the Napoleonic Wars.

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'Defence of the Chateau de Hougoumont', by Denis Dighton, 1815
Talk At Museum / Online

16 June 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

Waterloo: The British Army’s Day of Destiny

Join Dr Gregory Fremont-Barnes as he explores one of the most decisive battles in British history: Waterloo.

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Officer’s parole card, 1812
Talk At Museum / Online

4 August 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

British Prisoners on Parole in Napoleonic France

Explore the lives of captured British citizens and soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars with Dr Elodie Duché.

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Bone and wood model of a British Army fort, 1851
Talk At Museum / Online

15 September 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

Trench Art Through Time

Curators Anna Lavelle and Mel Price examine the wonderful world of trench art, sharing examples from the Museum’s extensive collection.

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Explore Napoleonic Wars learning resources

Recruiting leaflet, Army Cadet Force, 1991
Timeline

KS3-KS5 (Ages 11+)

Army Cadets: Interactive Timeline

Explore the history of the British Army Cadet Force and the Combined Cadet Force through this interactive timeline. 

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Outside an advanced dressing station at Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, Western Front, April 1917
Timeline

KS4-KS5 (Ages 14+)

Health and Medicine in the Army: Interactive Timeline

Uncover the history of medical developments in the British Army through this interactive timeline packed with nearly 200 sources.

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"First time @NAM_London today. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thought the presentation & interpretation made the subject accessible..."