War Childhood Museum

Rising from the crowd-sourced book War Childhood and championing the principles and practices of social entrepreneurship, the independent, youth-led War Childhood Museum has garnered recognition as the world’s only museum focused exclusively on childhoods that have been affected by war.

Through its unique platform, the WCM is able to tackle trauma at an individual level for both participants, whose personal stories and objects comprise the museum’s collection, and visitors – ultimately contributing to greater understanding for society on whole. Its first permanent exhibition opened in January 2017, seven years after the project’s beginnings, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Having proven successful in providing Bosnians of all ages with a rare opportunity to confront the traumas of their recent past without reinforcing ethnic boundaries, the WCM has expanded its activities to contemporary conflict, post-conflict, and resettlement zones. Today, the WCM operates in Lebanon, Ukraine, and the United States – becoming an international platform that gives voice to current and former war children.

Its quick growth aggregated a lot of attention and facilitated collaboration between the WCM and some of the world’s leading universities. The War Childhood Museum has also had the privilege of presenting at the largest peace-building, youth, and museum conferences. Its efforts have received media coverage from New York City to Tokyo.

The 2018 Council of Europe Museum Prize – one of the most prestigious awards in the museum industry – was awarded to the War Childhood Museum as part of the European Museum of the Year Awards.