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    Discover London Through History

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    Hat designed by Philip Treacy for display on the Louisa Harwood mannequin in the Pleasure Garden (ID no.: SC230/6) Look of London

    Hattention, please!

    We flipped through 600 items of headgear for the most cap-tivating stories.

    Miniature London Almanack for 1876, with a blue leather cover and leather covered slip case. Includes general information such as a regal table, a list of London Aldermen, Saints days and the time of High Water at London Bridge. (ID no.: 37.136a/8) Books

    Information in your pockets, in a pre-Google era

    Long before smartphones, almanacs and pocket books were the main source of handy, relevant information in Europe.

    A view of the mass grave uncovered at Liverpool Street by the Crossrail tunnel. Behind the scenes

    Excavating Tunnel: The Archaeology of Crossrail

    Discover the incredible archaeology of London uncovered during the Crossrail Project, including Roman artefacts and a burial site from the Great Plague of 1665.

    Copyright Crossrail. London now

    Boring London: digging the Crossrail Tunnel

    The extraordinary story of digging the Elizabeth Line under London.

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World City

1950s - today

London Before London

450,000 BC - Ad 50

Permanent galleries

The London 2012 Olympic Cauldron

2012 olympics

See an icon of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

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Thomas Heatherwick’s copper cauldron sculpture was created for the London Olympics in 2012 and is the star of this gallery. See dramatic footage and exclusive testimonies recapturing the sculpture's journey from design to the climactic opening and closing ceremonies in the Olympic Stadium in east London.

  • The London 2012 Olympic Cauldron on display with its petals open and splayed.
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  • Forming blocks used to mold London 2012 Olympic Cauldron petals.
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  • Sackler hall.jpg

Not to be missed on your visit

View slideshow

The London 2012 Olympic Cauldron on display with its petals open and splayed.

The London 2012 Cauldron (open section)

The cauldron frozen in time during the Olympic opening ceremony. Some stems have come to rest in their final positions whilst others have only just started to lift.

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The London 2012 Cauldron

The London 2012 Cauldron was created by the internationally renowned Heatherwick Studio and has become one of its best known works.

Forming blocks used to mold London 2012 Olympic Cauldron petals.

Forming blocks

These blocks acted as templates to guide the metalworking team creating the copper elements. Close up, traces of hammer blows remain visible at their shattered edges.

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Petal

Scorch marks and a colourful tarnish hint at this petal’s brief time ablaze within the London 2012 Cauldron during the Games.

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The Ellipse café

Just outside the 2012 Cauldron gallery. Relax with a drink or light snack at the end of your visit in this calm, open space.

Gallery access

This gallery is open during the museum's normal opening hours.

10am-5pm, Monday-Sunday

The gallery is on the lower ground floor and can be accessed by lift and wheelchair ramp.

London 2012 Cauldron also of interest

Olympic stadium interest

Discover London's Olympic history

See objects in our collection from three Olympics held in London

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