The Museum of Homelessness is a community-driven social justice museum, created and run by people with direct experience of homelessness. This month, it has announced the opening of a new Secret Museum in central London for 11 days only, which will feature objects and stories from activists, community organisers and those living with the realities of homelessness.
On 27 October, the museum, which is in an undisclosed location, will open to the public, allowing them to discover some of the real stories from the last 18 months.
Follow clues to find the hidden location
“To hear these precious stories, you will need to find us! We’ll leave a trail of clues for you in the streets of London and on the way to the museum you will find beautiful surprises,” says a statement on the Museum of Homelessness website.
At the onset of COVID-19, the UK Government announced the Everyone In scheme, in an effort to get everyone off the streets and in safe accommodation during the pandemic. The Secret Museum initiative aims to tell the real stories from this period, journeying into a world of solidarity and underground organising, as people worked to save lives and maintain human rights.
“Secret Museum will go beyond the headlines of 2020 and reveal to you what really happened to people on the margins in the pandemic,” says the Museum of Homelessness. “By visiting us and carrying the truth with you afterwards, you will help us ensure history is not written just by the powerful.”
Secret Museum is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the experience is free, though tickets must be booked in advance here.
During the pandemic and beyond, many museums have been working to keep their local communities engaged, with programmes looking at wellbeing, mental health, the impact of the last 18 months, and more.
