The London Museum, established in 1912, was a museum illustrating the history of London, England. It was one of two precursors to the

Museum of London London Museum (known from 1976 to 2024 as the Museum of London) is a museum in London, covering the history of the city from prehistoric to modern times, with a particular focus on social history. The Museum of London was formed in 1976 by ama ...

, which opened in 1976 and was renamed the London Museum in 2024.

History

It was inaugurated on 21 March 1912 by

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

with Queen Mary, Princess Mary and Prince George in temporary accommodation within the second-floor State Apartments at

Kensington Palace Kensington Palace is a royal residence situated within Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has served as a residence for the British royal family since the 17th century and is currently the ...

. It opened to the public on 8 April, admitting more than 13,000 visitors during the day. The museum acquired the Cheapside Hoard in the same year, a cache of early Stuart and Elizabethan jewellery. Two years after opening, the collections were moved to

Lancaster House Lancaster House (originally known as York House and then Stafford House) is a mansion on The Mall, London, The Mall in the St James's district in the West End of London. Adjacent to The Green Park, it is next to Clarence House and St James ...

St James's St James's is a district of Westminster, and a central district in the City of Westminster, London, forming part of the West End of London, West End. The area was once part of the northwestern gardens and parks of St. James's Palace and much of ...

, and the museum remained there until

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The first Keeper of the museum was Sir Guy Francis Laking, and from 1926 to 1944 the Keeper was the archaeologist

Mortimer Wheeler Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour, CH Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire, CIE Military Cross, MC Territorial Decoration, TD (10 September 1890 – 22 July 1976) was a British archaeolo ...

. During World War II, much of the collection was evacuated for storage at nearby Dover Street tube station, and later at

Piccadilly Circus tube station Piccadilly Circus is a London Underground station in Central London. It is located directly beneath Piccadilly Circus itself, with entrances at every corner. The station is served by the Bakerloo line, Bakerloo and Piccadilly line, Piccadilly l ...

. Some of the galleries at Lancaster House reopened to the public in 1942, but in November 1943 the building was requisitioned by the Ministry of Works as a conference centre and base for the new

European Advisory Commission The formation of the European Advisory Commission (EAC) was agreed on at the Moscow Conference (1943), Moscow Conference on 30 October 1943 between the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, Anthony Eden, the United States, Cordell Hull, and ...

, the museum retaining only the basement for storage of its collections. After World War II, attempts to reclaim Lancaster House for the museum's use failed. Eventually in 1948

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952 ...

agreed that the museum might be accommodated once more in part of Kensington Palace, this time on the lower two floors, and it reopened there in July 1951. In 1975, under the directorship of Donald Harden, the London Museum was amalgamated with the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

's Guildhall Museum to form the

, which opened to the public in a new building in the City of London in 1976.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:London Museum (1912-1976) 1912 establishments in England Museums established in 1912 City museums in the United Kingdom Defunct museums in London Museum of London Group History of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea