Diane Lees FMA FRSA

Director-General - Imperial War Museums

As Director of the V&A Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green, Diane Lees had a specific brief to transform the Museum and create a sustainable future for this East End site; she has also chaired the V&A’s UK Steering Group. Beginning as an historic buildings researcher and moving into exhibitions, education and interpretation, Diane has worked on some of the most challenging and exciting projects in the country, including the rescue and relocation of a hat block manufacturer’s workshop in central Manchester; the recovery and display of the Mary Rose flagship in Portsmouth Harbour and redisplay of the Nelson Galleries at the Royal Naval Museum. She project-managed the creation of the UK standard for the recording of information about museum collections (SPECTRUM) and was responsible for the creation of the only museum of Law in the country (the multi-award winning Galleries of Justice in Nottingham). Diane is a Trustee of Holdsworth Trust, a Trustee of the Army Museums Ogilby Trust and a Trustee of Kids in Museums.

Diane became Director-General of the Imperial War Museums in October 2008.