I recently visited the Imperial War Museum at Lambeth, which is a bit difficult to reach by public transport and I must say I was not favourably impressed by the Foster and Partners redevelopment of a much loved building.

The former light and airy atrium has been replaced by long columns and less space.

However, I went to see the new First World War gallery, which was teeming with visitors and school students.

Many schools are studying the war in this centenary year. It is interesting to note the Imperial War Museum was established in 1916 when the war was still raging in Europe, to ensure future generations would remember the toll and sacrifice of all those involved.

The building was formerly a lunatic asylum and was the original Bedlum.

The new gallery has more than 1,300 objects including weapons, uniforms, artefacts, personal letters and souvenirs – the largest collection ever assembled.

Passing into the gallery the visitor is taken back the early 20th century with text and films and the petty rivalries among various countries; how the assassination of little known royal Archduke Ferdinand set off the chain of events that brought the British Isles and the Empire into war.

With the sound of shells being fired overhead and shrapnel dropping one comes face to face with a French 75mm field gun.

A collection of posters reminds the visitor of the importance placed on the right sort of publicity and how the picture of Field Marshal Kitchener brought in much needed recruits.

It is not usual to come across a 9.2in howitzer on display with sound effects. This one was nicknamed Mother. The dreadful Battle of the Somme is explained, a documentary film of the time is shown and a recreated trench with a Sopwith Camel aircraft overhead and a Mark V tank above give some idea of the difficulties endured by our troops – not counting the mud.

Imperial War Museum opens ground breaking new First World War galleries JOHN ALEVROYIANNIS

This is where a visit to the battlefields of France and Belgium has an advantage to experience the real thing.

On the home front the role of women, whose lives were considerable changed as they took up work in factories, hospitals, transport and on the land, is illustrated through uniforms and photographs.

My own mother worked on early De Haviland aircraft during those years. There is so much to see in this new First World War gallery that one visit is not enough without even thinking about the rest of the museum and its Second World War exhibitions.

There are three new shops and a cafe which opens on to the nearby park.

Perhaps after a short interval the exhibition will not be so crowded, but I would not count on it.