The news comes as the museum prepares to close its doors at its London Wall site on Sunday 4th December.
The Museum of London has announced it will celebrate its 45th anniversary at London Wall with a programme of events, activities and displays, that will welcome visitors to the site one last time before its doors close on Sunday 4th December 2022.
Meanwhile, the Museum of London Docklands will remain open to visitors with a major exhibition Executions planned from 14 October 2022. The new site at West Smithfield, named The London Museum, will open in 2026.
The Museum of London first opened its doors in 1976, with a ceremony attended by Her Majesty the Queen. Its first exhibition celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, and over the years, its programme of displays has explored a range of topics from the Suffragette movement to 15,000 years of settlement from overseas; metropolitan eating to London’s nightlife; Dub music to London’s fashion scene; the Whitechapel Fatberg to Sherlock Holmes; Vivienne Westwood to The Clash.
This final programme at the museum includes a range of interactive and immersive activities for young visitors and the entire family through the summer holidays, the October half-term, and a jam-packed month of school visits in November framed around different themes corresponding to the museum’s collection.
Those visiting the museum will gain behind the scenes access to the museum during Open House on 10 & 11 September, which will showcase the preparation of moving the museum to its new home, alongside prized objects from the museum’s seven million-strong collection. The museum will also host a celebration of Black History Month in October. Meanwhile, throughout November, the museum will host school visits framed around different themes each week, including Prehistoric London, Votes for Women, Romans and Great Fire of London. The month-long programme will give young visitors a last chance to see their favourite displays with a new twist – including interactive activities and immersive, actor-led guided experiences.
Elswehere, two free headline displays will close the museum’s London Wall site. Grime Stories: from the corner to the mainstream (17 June 2022- 4 December 2022), co-curated with Roony ‘RiskyRoadz’ Keefe and featuring Grime pioneer Jammer, honours the music, people and places central to the Grime scene in east London, with a series of newly-commissioned films. Harry Kane: I want to play football (21 May 2022- 4 December 2022) celebrates one of the city’s sporting heroes and aims to inspire the next generation in the run-up to the World Cup.
The programme will conclude with with two celebratory festivals. One for families on the 26th & 27th November and a final closing festival on 2nd, 3rd & 4th December that will celebrate the past fifty years of London history.
To find out more visit: https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london