Museum of London

Exhibitions currently running:

London’s Burning: the Great Fire of London 1666 - Explore the Great Fire, the most famous disaster in London's history, and find out how it shaped the city we know today. Hear the real stories of how Londoners lived through this tragedy. What was it like to live through the terror of having your home and livelihood destroyed? How did people cope? And why did a fire which claimed less than a dozen lives end up changing London’s cityscape forever? Be transported back to September 1666, with interactive displays and a wide range of objects, including archaeological finds and 17th century fire-fighting equipment and see the Great Fire through the eyes of those who survived it. Until winter 2009.

Tudor and early Stuart London - London 1558 to 1666 - During the formative period from 1485 to 1666, London expanded beyond the bounds of the Roman city wall and, through the enterprise of trading companies, began its transformation into a truly world-class city. Rich displays of artefacts and documents enliven the key events of the period: the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the palace-building of Henry VIII, the Civil Wars and the execution of King Charles I.
Permanent.

Medieval London -Journey across more than a thousand years – from Anglo-Saxon settlement in the 5th century, through Viking raids and the Norman Conquest of 1066, to the splendour and bustle of England’s 16th-century capital, and the dramatic results of Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries. Find out about famous Londoners, such as Chaucer and Becket, about medieval crafts and guilds, merchants and overseas trade. Explore the world of the medieval pilgrim by admiring the intricate pewter badges brought back from Canterbury or Compostella. Permanent.

Roman gold - A hidden treasure - For the first time, a hoard of Roman gold coins has been discovered in London. At Plantation Place in the City of London, Museum of London archaeologists excavated 43 coins from a possible masonry-lined deposit box under the floor of a substantial Roman London residence. The coins were probably held in a textile or leather purse inside a small wooden box. The Romans introduced a currency system into Britain based on three metals: the aureus of gold, the denarius of silver and lower denominations of copper alloy. This valuable hoard consists solely of gold aurei, coins never in everyday circulation but used by administrators, bankers or rich merchants. Although it spans more than 100 years (from AD65-174), the hoard is thought to be a random selection of coins likely to represent the owner's savings, deposited in a safe place but never retrieved. Permanent.

London Before London - Almost 500 objects will reflect its role as source for food and cooking, an altar and the last resting place for the dead. Permanent. Please telephone 0207 600 3699 to learn more.

World City Galleries - Film footage, photography, oral history recordings and over 3,000 objects, from Queen Victoria`s parliamentary robes and Queen Mary`s dolls house to one of the earliest motorised taxis. Summoning up the atmosphere of the nineteenth century.

Museum of London history:

Despite London`s long pedigree, very few of its ancient structures are now standing, thanks to the Great Fire, the Blitz and urban developers. However, numerous Roman, Saxon and Elizabethan remains have been discovered during the City`s various rebuilding and many of these finds are now displayed inside. The museum`s permanent exhibition is basically an educational trot through London`s history from prehistory to the present day. For more information please visit www.molg.org.uk