Museum of London

Established	1975
Location	City of London, London EC2, England, United Kingdom
Director	Jack Lohman
Website	www.museumoflondon.org.uk

The Museum of London documents the history of London from the Prehistoric to the present day. The museum is located close to the Barbican Centre,as part of the striking Barbican complex of buildings created in the 1960's and 70's as an innovative approach to re-development within a bomb damaged area of the City. It is a few minutes walk north of St Paul's Cathedral, overlooking the remains of the Roman city wall and on the edge of the oldest part of London, known as the City, now the financial district. It is primarily concerned with the social history of London and its inhabitants throughout history. Admission is free. The museum is a non-departmental public body.

Description

Interior showing the Mayor's state coach

The museum was opened in 1976 as part of the Barbican Estate, utilising collections previously held by the Corporation at the Guildhall and also items from other collections, including the London Museum which was located in Kensington Palace. The architects were Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, who adopted an innovative approach to museum design, whereby the galleries were laid out so that there was only one route through the museum - from the prehistoric period to the modern galleries.

The museum comprises a series of chronological galleries containing original artefacts, models, pictures and diagrams, with a strong emphasis on archaeological discoveries, the built city and urban development and interactive displays and activities for all ages. Fragments of the Roman London Wall can be seen just outside the museum. The museum is currently engaged in a major redevelopment to enrich the experience of visiting the galleries due to be completed in 2010. The prehistoric gallery, "London Before London" and the "Medieval London" gallery have already been updated, and in 2007 a new exhibition on the Great Fire of London opened. Star exhibits include the Lord Mayor of the City of London's state coach and a reconstruction of a street from Victorian London - both will return to display when the new galleries open.

Museum of London Docklands

In 2003, Museum of London Docklands (formerly Museum in Docklands) was opened in a 19th-century grade I listed warehouse near Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs. Museum of London Docklands charts the history of London as a port, beginning 2000 years ago with the Roman trading post set up on the banks of the Thames and following London's expansion into the biggest port the world had ever known. In November 2007, it opened the capital's first permanent gallery examining London's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, "London, Sugar & Slavery".

Museum of London Archaeology

Museum of London includes Museum of London Archaeology, which provides archaeological services in London but also does work elsewhere in the UK and abroad. Archaeological findings made by the service and others working in London are archived at the Museum of London Archaeological Archive.

Structure

Museum of London, Museum of London Docklands and Museum of London Archaeology are all part of the same group. Since 1 April 2008, the Museum has been jointly controlled and funded by the City of London Corporation and the Greater London Authority. Prior to this the Museum had been jointly controlled by the City of London and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It is headed by a director.

List of directors

1. Tom Hume (1972 to 1977)
2. Max Hebditch (1977 to 1997)
3. Simon Thurley (1997 to 2002)
4. Professor Jack Lohman (2002 to 2009)
5. Kimberley Ahmet (2009 to present)

See also

• Museum of London Archaeology
• Museum of London Docklands
• London Museum

External links

• Official website of the Museum of London
• Location map from streetmap.co.uk
• UntoldLondon website - also run from the Museum of London
• Map My London new community website launched by the Museum of London on November 16, 2006
• 'Behind the scenes' blog provides a sneak peek into the working life of the Museum of London.