War Horse film costumes join Spielberg and cast's artwork at National Army Museum

Original costumes and props from Steven Spielberg's big screen epic, War Horse, have gone on public display for the first time at the National Army Museum to coincide with the film’s nationwide release.

Star items include the uniform and replica wrist compass worn by Benedict Cumberbatch as Major Jamie Stewart and a Dorsetshire Regiment uniform worn by Jeremy Irvine who plays the beloved owner of the equine star of the film, Joey.

The items have taken pride of place in the museum's ongoing War Horse: Fact & Fiction exhibition, which already includes exclusive material from Michael Morpurgo and the National Theatre's production together with objects from the National Army Museum collection.

As well as further cast uniforms and illustrations created by the film's equine artist Ali Bannister, Steven Spielberg and the cast also spared time during the film's London Premiere to decorate and sign paper horses, displayed on the exhibition's Remembrance Wall to commemorate war's forgotten horses. 

The paper horses, along with others decorated by The Duchess of Cornwall and the author of War Horse, Michael Morpurgo, will be later auctioned to raise funds for the Museum’s redevelopment and animal welfare charity, the Brooke.

The family-friendly exhibition draws together the many aspects of War Horse to explore the real-life stories of horses in war.

Exhibition curator Pip Dodd said the museum was "delighted" to welcome the new additions to the exhibition.

"It has been fascinating looking at how accurately the replicas of military items have been created using modern materials such as plastic whilst retaining a really authentic look."

War Horse: Fact & Fiction runs at the National Army Museum until August 30 2012.

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