Back in December of 2022, the Museum of London closed down, with plans to move the entire museum to a larger space in Smithfield. Subsequently, we’ve been treated to all sorts of insights into the museum’s future. The museum rebranded from the Museum of London to the London Museum – and unveiled a new logo to boot. We learned of the new (and still being sourced) exhibition of signs from London’s sadly shuttered businesses. We even got to peek behind the scenes at the amount of work that goes into moving an entire museum. And now, to cement the museum’s future, the museum has been pledged a whopping £50 million towards its progress.
The Mayor of London and the City of London Corporation are each contributing £25 million towards the museum. The new pledge brings their total contribution to the new museum up to £95 million from the Mayor and £222 million from the City of London Corporation.
The museum will also be fundraising to raise another £30 million. Together with the new pledge, this will help the museum achieve its overall budget of £437 million.
Moving museums sure is expensive work! But by all indicators, it’s set to be a worthwhile investment. By supporting economic growth, and boosting businesses and employment in the local area, the museum is estimated to contribute £565 million in ‘gross value added’ within 10 years of opening. And that’s without even mentioning the priceless impact of the learning centre and galleries on millions of visitors – from tourists to school children and beyond.
Said Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan:
Culture is the DNA of our city, and I am proud that we’re such an integral part of the creation of the new London Museum at Smithfield. It is one of the biggest cultural projects in Europe and will be a brilliant addition to London’s world-leading cultural sector. It will attract Londoners and tourists from around the world, generate new jobs and reinforce our position as a global creative capital, as we continue to build a better and fairer London for everyone.
The new London Museum
Upon completion, the London Museum will be “one of Europe’s largest cultural infrastructure projects and will preserve the historic Smithfield Market buildings for generations to come“. The museum’s permanent galleries, set to open in 2026, will be housed in the formerly derelict Victorian General Market. But that won’t be the end of the construction. There will also be a “world-class learning centre, temporary exhibition spaces, and collection stores”. These will open in 2028, taking over the one-time Poultry market.
We were recently lucky enough to explore the currently-being-built site of the new London Museum. It was a fascinating insight into what’s to come – and what’s sure to be a hugely popular London attraction. Take a look below:
The London Museum’s sister site, London Museum Docklands, remains open while the London Museum works towards opening in 2026. Entry to London Museum Docklands is FREE to all. You can explore the London Museum’s collection online, here.
