Imperial War Museum Act 1955
1955 c.14
An Act to amend the law relating to the Board of Trustees of the Imperial War Museum, and to extend their powers of lending objects belonging to the Museum.
[29th March 1955]
Act wholly in force at Royal Assent.

1 Constitution of Board of Trustees of Imperial War Museum.
(1) For paragraph (1) of the Schedule to the Imperial War Museum Act, 1920 (which relates to the membership of the Board of Trustees of that Museum), there shall be substituted the paragraph set out in the Schedule of this Act.
The text of s. 1(1) and Sch. is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.
(2) Her Majesty may from time to time by Order in Council make further provision with respect to the membership of the said Board, and vary the said paragraph (1) or any previous Order in Council made under this section.
(3) A draft of any Order in Council under this section shall be laid before each House of Parliament.
(4) This section shall come into force on the first day of January, nineteen hundred and fifty-six.

2 Power of lending.
(1) The said Board shall have power . . . to lend any objects belonging to the Imperial War Museum—
(a) for public exhibition in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, or
(b) to any Government Department or other authority or institution in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.
Functions of the Lord President of the Council under s. 2(1) transferred (3.7.1992) to the Secretary of State by virtue of S.I. 1992/1311, art. 3(1), Sch. 1 Pt. I
Words in s. 2(1) repealed (1.9.1992) by Museums and Galleries Act 1992 (c. 44), s. 11(2)(3), Sch. 8 Pt. II para. 9(1), Sch. 9; S.I. 1992/1874, art.2
(2) The Board shall give special consideration to any application for a loan—
(a) for public exhibition, or
(b) for display in any permanent headquarters or other establishment belonging to the armed forces of the Crown.
(3) A loan under this section shall be made on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Board may think fit, . . ..
Functions of Minister of Works now exercisable by Secretary of State and property of Minister now transferred to Secretary of State for the Environment: S.I. 1962/1549 and 1970/1681, art. 2
Words in s. 2(3) repealed (1.9.1992) by Museums and Galleries Act 1992 (c. 44), s. 11(2)(3), Sch. 8 Pt. II para. 9(2), Sch. 9; S.I. 1992/1874, art.2
(4) In the case of an object which has been given or bequeathed to the Museum, the powers conferred by this section shall not be exercisable—
(a) until fifteen years have elapsed since the date of the gift or bequest, unless the donor or his personal representatives, or the personal representatives of the testator, as the case may be, have consented to the exercise of those powers; or
(b) in any manner inconsistent with any condition attached to the gift or bequest unless either twenty-five years have elapsed since the said date, or the donor or his personal representatives, or the personal representatives of the testator, as the case may be, have consented to the exercise of those powers in that manner.
(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
S. 2(5) repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1974 (c. 22), Sch. Pt. XI

3 Short title and citation.
This Act may be cited as the Imperial War Museum Act 1955, and the Imperial War Museum Act 1920, and this Act may be cited together as the Imperial War Museum Acts 1920 and 1955.

SCHEDULE CONSTITUTION OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
Section 1.

(1) The Board shall consist of a President and twenty-five other members of whom one shall be the Director and Principal Librarian of the British Museum and the remainder shall be appointed as shown in the following Table:—
Number of members appointed	Appointing authority
9	The Treasury
1	The Admirality
1	The Secretary of State for War
1	The Secretary of State for Air
1	The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
1	The Secretary of State for the Colonies
1	The Minister of Education
1	The Minister of Works
1	The Government of Canada
1	The Government of Australia
1	The Government of New Zealand
1	The Government of the Union of South Africa
1	The Government of India
1	The Government of Pakistan
1	The Government of Ceylon
1	The Government of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The text of s. 1(1) and Sch. is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.