TheLondon Museum Docklands(known from 2003 to 2024 asMuseum of London Docklands), based inWest India Quay,explains the history of theRiver Thames,the growth ofPort of Londonand the docks' historical link to theAtlantic slave trade.The museum is part of theMuseum of Londonand is jointly funded by theCity of London Corporationand theGreater London Authority.
 | |
  Location within London Borough of Tower Hamlets | |
Former name | Museum in Docklands |
|---|---|
| Established | 2003 |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 51°30′27″N0°1′25″W/ 51.50750°N 0.02361°W |
| Visitors | 324,438 (2019)[1] |
| Director | Sharon Ament |
| Public transit access | West India Quay |
| Website | londonmuseum |
Listed Building– Grade I | |
| Official name | Warehouses and general offices at western end of North Quay |
| Designated | 19 July 1950 |
| Reference no. | 1242440 |
The museum opened in 2003 ingrade I listedearly-19th centuryGeorgian"low" sugar warehouses built in 1802 on the north side ofWest India Docks,a short walk fromCanary Wharf.[2][3]
Collections and exhibits
editMuch of the museum's collection is from the museum and archives of thePort of London Authority,which became part of the port and river collections of theMuseum of Londonin the 1970s. These were put into storage by the Museum of London in 1985.[4]The museum includes videos presented byTony Robinson,and it houses a large collection of historical artifacts, models, and pictures in 12 galleries and a children's gallery (Mudlarks), arranged over two floors. Visitors are directed through the displays in chronological order.[3]The periods covered range from the first port on the Thames inRomantimes to the closure of the central London docks in the 1970s and subsequent transformation of the area with commercial and residential developments.[5][6]
London Museum Docklands has a lecture theatre and meeting rooms and hosts talks and events connected with the docks. Several workers who worked on the docks in the 1960s take part in these events, including one from thePentonville Five.The reading room andSainsbury'sStudy Centre house the archives.[citation needed]
The museum acquired several historic vessels for preservation over its existence. Among these were thetugboatsKnocker WhiteandVarlet,both acquired in 1986.[7][8]By the 2010s the museum had decided to rationalise its collection of vessels, one was transferred to a local group, and another, theWey bargePerseverance IV,to theNational Trust.The last two vessels,Knocker WhiteandVarlet,were transferred toTrinity Buoy Wharfin November 2016.[9][10]
In 2007, the museum celebrated the bicentenary of theBritish abolition of slaveryby opening a £14 millionHeritage Lottery Fundedexhibition entitledLondon, Sugar, Slaveryabout the practice.[11][12]In March 2016, the museum opened an exhibit relating to the building itself. The building was originally called No.1 Warehouse, and was built in 1802 during the expansion ofWest India Docks.[13]In September, the museum displayedDick Moore'sGeorge Crossmedal for bravery during theLondon Blitz.[14]In 2017, the museum opened an exhibit displaying archaeological findings discovered duringCrossrailwork.[15]In 2020 it plans to put theHavering hoardon display.[16]
Gallery
edit-
West India Quaywith the museum in the background -
The Museum of London Docklands at night
Transport connections
edit| Service | Station/Stop | Lines/Routes served | Distance from London Museum Docklands |
|---|---|---|---|
London Buses |
Westferry station |
135,277,D3,D7 | |
London Underground |
Canary Wharf |
 |
800 metres walk/15 minutes |
| London Underground |
Canary Wharf |
 |
500 metres walk/10 minutes |
| Docklands Light Railway |
West India Quay |
260 metres/5 minutes walk[17] | |
London River Services |
Canary Wharf Pier |
Commuter Service Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf Service |
650 metres/12 Minutes walk |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"ALVA – Association of Leading Visitor Attractions".alva.org.uk.Retrieved4 November2020.
- ^Wajid, Sara(9 November 2007)."London, Sugar & Slavery Opens At Museum In Docklands".Culture24.org.Retrieved4 August2016.
- ^abEmma Midgley (23 May 2003)."MGM 2003 - A Capital Addition, Museum In Docklands Now Open".Culture24.org.Retrieved4 August2016.
- ^Foster, J.; Sheppard, J. (30 April 2016).British Archives: A Guide to Archive Resources in the UK.Springer.p. 400.ISBN9781349652280.Retrieved29 September2016.
- ^"Museum of London - Thames Highway".museumoflondon.org.uk.
- ^Hawthorne, Kate; Sheppard, Daniella (29 September 2016).The Young Person's Guide to the Internet: The Essential Website Reference Book for Young People, Parents and Teachers.Taylor & Francis.p. 130.ISBN9780415345057.Retrieved29 September2016.
- ^"Knocker White".National Historic Ships UK.Retrieved24 August2017.
- ^"Varlet".National Historic Ships UK.Retrieved24 August2017.
- ^"Historic vessels Knocker White and Varlet set sail to new home at Trinity Buoy Wharf".Museum of London.14 November 2016.Retrieved24 August2017.
- ^"Historic vessels Knocker White and Varlet set sail to new home at Trinity Buoy Wharf".Trinity Buoy Wharf.14 November 2016.Retrieved24 August2017.
- ^Eckersley, Susannah; Lloyd, Katherine; Whitehead, Christopher; Mason, Rhiannon (May 2015).Museums, Migration and Identity in Europe: Peoples, Places and Identities.Ashgate Publishing.p. 74.ISBN9781472425188.Retrieved30 September2016.
- ^Tolia-Kelly, Divya; Waterton, Emma; Waterton, Emma; Watson, Steve (July 2016).Heritage, Affect and Emotion: Politics, Practices and Infrastructures.Routledge.p. 125.ISBN9781317122388.Retrieved29 September2016.
- ^Broadbent, Giles (11 March 2016)."Museum of London Docklands to open a new storehouse of history".The Wharf.Retrieved29 September2016.
- ^Broadbent, Giles (29 September 2016)."Family's pride as museum tells of their hero's courage".The Wharf.Retrieved29 September2016.
- ^Drury, James (22 September 2016)."Largest Collection Of Crossrail Treasures To Go On Display".Londonist.Retrieved29 September2016.
- ^"Havering Hoard: A Bronze Age Mystery | Museum of London Docklands".
- ^Museum of London Docklands: Getting there
External links
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