Gallery access
Main galleries
Wed - Sun, 10am - 5pm
The gallery is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible.
The Museum of London and the Dub London: Bassline of a City display are currently closed. Subscribe to our enewsletter for all the latest updates on when the display will reopen.
From its roots in Jamaican reggae to how it shaped communities over the last 50 years, our new display explores not only dub music, but also the cultural and social impact it has had on the identity of London and its people.
Dub has had a far-reaching impact across the music industry and the history of the capital. It has influenced multiple genres from drum and bass, garage and hip-hop to even mainstream pop, and played an important role in the early days of the city's punk scene with bands such as The Clash and The Slits drawing on its unique sound.
Exploring this musical influence alongside community, fashion and spirituality, Dub London examines how dub is a varied thread that runs through an entire community. Highlights include:
Through collecting objects, memories and personal stories from some of Dub's most iconic people and places from across London, including Hackney, Lambeth, Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Harlesden and Lewisham, the display plunges you into the heart of Dub Reggae and invites you to explore this cultural phenomenon.
*There will be an opportunity in the display to listen to records from the selection. If you would like to listen to one of the records, please bring your own wired headphones/earphones with you (with standard 3.5mm or 6.35mm jacks). Bluetooth headphones will not work in the space. We are currently unable to provide headphones/earphones owing to our COVID-19 measures, which are in place to ensure all visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience.
Dub London: Bassline of a City is part of Curating London, a four-year contemporary collecting programme with funding from Arts Council England and part of the Museum of London's SoundClash season.
Dub London: Bassline of a City is a free display but requires a free timed entry ticket to the museum to be booked in advance. Please note, tickets are available 6 weeks in advance, with more dates being released weekly.
“That idea of belonging, of dub as a joyful refuge, is the overriding impression left by this new (albeit Covid-delayed) exhibition at the Museum of London. It delves into the societal impact of the music and the culture, rather than poring over the finer stylistic details of the genre.”
Evening Standard
Main galleries
The gallery is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible.
An interview with Dub London curator Cedar Lewisohn how he has tried to capture a sound, a culture, and an experience.
Read now
How can we make the museum’s collections reflect the lives of Londoners today?
Discover more
Explore videos, photos and articles all about dub reggae culture in the city.
Discover more
The Museum of London and the Museum of London Docklands will continue to be closed to the public for the time being, but we are hoping to reopen on Wednesday 19 May in line with the Government's roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions.
The health and wellbeing of our visitors, staff and community is of utmost importance to us and we will continue to closely review the advice from the Government and Public Health England around the COVID-19 situation.
While the museum buildings may be closed, we’re still open online with loads of content to keep you entertained. Check our website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @MuseumOfLondon for all the latest news on when the museum doors will be open once more.
Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to welcoming you back soon!