The Museum of London’s updated plans to create a new destination within several historic buildings in West Smithfield have been given the green light.
The relocation project originally received planning consent in June 2020. The approved plans include minor alterations to the design.
“This is a momentous point, and I’d like to thank the whole team who made it possible,” said Sharon Ament, director of the Museum of London.
“One thing I’m particularly proud of is the project’s sustainability ambitions, which I hope will be an exemplar for others in the field going into the future,” said Ament.
The London Museum
“We will lead by example by bringing these historic buildings back into use, preserving 70 percent of the fabric overall, and reducing operational carbon through connecting to Citigen and the use of smart technologies.”
Per a statement, the new museum will offer “cavernous and atmospheric spaces” above and below ground. It will have the space to display more of its collection and provide more displays, exhibitions and events.
The Museum of London opened in 1976. It has welcomed more than 21 million visitors since 1998. The institution’s galleries, exhibitions, displays and events aim to inspire a passion for the city.
In preparation for its relocation to West Smithfield, the current museum will close at London Wall in December 2022.
London Wall site to close
The institution’s curators and conservators will carefully move the objects to the new location. When it reopens, it will be called the London Museum.
“It is an extraordinary project,” Ament told blooloop. “Our museum is about London – London’s impact on the world and the world’s impact on London.”
The Museum of London Docklands will remain open, and will become the London Museum Docklands from early 2023.
Meanwhile, a museum in Mayfair dedicated to composer George Frideric Handel and musician Jimi Hendrix, is being fully restored as part of the ‘Hallelujah Project’.
Images: Museum of London
