Museum of London Docklands

UK Museums: The Museum of London Docklands

Museum of London

The Museum of London Docklands is part of the Museum of London which is presently located near the Barbican Centre before its planned move to a new site in West Smithfield.

Housed in a 19th-century Grade I listed warehouse near Canary Wharf on the Isle of Dogs, the Museum of London Docklands focuses on the history of London as a port from its origins as a Roman trading station to, at one time, the world's biggest port.

History

The Museum of London Docklands dates from 2003 when it opened in a sugar warehouse which was built way back in 1802.

The original collection of exhibits were those of the Port of London Authority (PLA) which were kept in storage at the main Museum of London site at the Barbican.

The museum presents its exhibits in chronological order beginning with the history of the building itself, No. 1 Warehouse.

Collections

The museum has a number of permanent galleries.

On the second floor visitors begin with No. 1 Warehouse, a history of the sugar warehouse where the museum itself is housed and the once busy docks where it is located.

Trade Expansion covers the period 1600-1800 when ships from London sailed to India and China bringing back exotic cargoes of ceramics, spices, silk and tea. On display are ships' instruments, information on whaling, tools and even a gibbet for displaying the bodies of executed pirates.

London, Sugar & Slavery explores the city's role in the slave trade. The warehouse where the museum is located was built to store the sugar grown on slave plantations in the West Indies. Exhibits include original paintings, letters, and documents from the period as well as tools used on the plantations. The history of the Abolition Movement is also covered. This exhibition opened in 2007 and is a centerpiece of the museum as a whole.

City & River charts the history of the port from 1800-1840. Again there are exhibits on whaling including examples of scrimshaw (carved or painted whales' teeth and bones), ships' models, police weapons and paintings of the Thames Tunnel that opened in 1828.

Sailortown 1840-1850 gives insight into the ordinary lives of the people who lived in the Wapping, Shadwell and Ratcliffe areas of London. There are recreations of several period shops and a spit-and-sawdust sailors' tavern.

First Port of Empire shows the growth of the port to world dominance between 1840-1880. Britain ruled the waves and there are models on display of some of its historic ships including the SS Great Eastern built in nearby Millwall and the largest ship in the world when launched in 1858. The 19th century also saw the growth of the Chinese population in the area reflected in such names as Canton Street and Mandarin Street.

Warehouse of the World 1880-1939 has exhibits on a period when the Port of London was the world's busiest and a hub for global trade. Find information on the goods that came through the port including coffee, ivory, spices, tobacco and wines and spirits. Visitors can also explore a recreated customs' office and learn about the labour movement among the dock workers.

Docklands at War 1939-1945 shows the effects of the London Blitz on the area. Photos and surviving objects from the time bring to life London during World War II.

New Port, New City charts the decline and regeneration of the area. Indeed, Docklands was Europe's largest regeneration project at the time with new housing such as the Lansbury Estate and new transport links including the DLR.

Mudlarks is a free interactive space for kids aged up to 8 years old and their parents and carers.

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Museum of London Docklands, London, UK — Museum of London Docklands

Cafe

The Rum & Sugar is a cocktail bar and restaurant at the museum with outdoor seating overlooking the water. There is also a café in the entrance foyer serving delicious coffee and cakes and vegan chocolate brownies.

Access - Getting to the Museum

No1 Warehouse
West India Quay
London E14 4AL
Tel: 020 7001 9844
www: museumoflondon.org.uk

Hours: Open 10 am-5 pm, Wednesday-Sunday, and closed to the public on Monday and Tuesday. During school holidays the museum is open for a full week. Check the website above for full details.

Entry is free but there may be charges for temporary and special exhibitions.

Canary Wharf tube station; West India Quay DLR; Buses #D3, #D7, #D8, #277, #D6, #15, #115, and #135; River Boat Canary Wharf Pier with connections to Embankment, London Eye, Bankside, London Bridge and Greenwich.