Collecting COVID

In April 2020, the museum launched its rapid response collecting programme to document the COVID-19 pandemic in London. Here we tell you more about why we’re doing it.

Councillor Philip Normal made a replacement ceremonial chain for his virtual installation as Mayor of Lambeth in April 2020. Created using card and plaited t-shirt fabric, it documents the change from physical to online life during the pandemic.

Social media interaction has been an intrinsic shared experience for millions during the COVID-19 crisis, which may have long-term effects on the way personal and professional communities connect for years to come.

In October 2020 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Arsenal Football Club donated one of their Black Lives Matter tribute shirts worn during the 2020-21 Premier League season as part of Collecting COVID.

The Museum of London, in partnership with the Museum of Dreams based at Western University in Canada, has launched a research-based project seeking to collect the dreams of Londoners by recording testimonies of dreams from the pandemic.

In May 2020, we partnered with Will Cohen of String and Tins and photographer Damien Hewetson to document the quiet, empty streets of London at the height of lockdown.

The month of Ramadan began in the depths of lockdown, with restrictions on gatherings like iftar. Find out why we asked Muslim families and young people to document their experiences this year.

On 23 April 2020 we put out a call for Londoners to share with us what represented the pandemic for them.