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Museum of London sites to reopen 6 August with four-week extension of The Clash: London Calling display

16 July 2020

  • Museum of London and Museum of London Docklands will reopen to the public on 6 August 2020
  • The Clash: London Calling free exhibit at the Museum of London will be extended for four weeks – must close 6 September 2020
  • The Krios of Sierra Leone free display at the Museum of London Docklands will be extended until 14 March 2021
  • Both sites remain free to enter but ticketed and timed entry must now be booked in advance. Tickets available at www.museumoflondon.org.uk
  • Opening hours for both sites will be 11.30am – 3.30pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 6pm Saturday and Sunday


After almost five months of temporary closure, the Museum of London and Museum of London Docklands will be ready to open their doors on Thursday 6 August 2020 and welcome visitors once again.

The Museum of London is pleased to announce that the exclusive display, The Clash: London Calling, celebrating the making of The Clash’s ground-breaking album ‘London Calling’, will be extended for four weeks until 6 September. This will give visitors a chance to view over 150 items from The Clash’s personal archive, including notes, clothing, images and music, many of which are previously unseen.

The reopening also means that The Krios of Sierra Leone at the Museum of London Docklands will be extended until 14 March 2021. Exploring the unique and largely untold history, heritage and culture of the Krio people of Sierra Leone, the display highlights the architecture, language, lifestyle and traditions of the Krio community through a mix of contemporary objects from Krio Londoners as well as objects related to British colonial rule in Sierra Leone from the museum’s collections. From its origins in transatlantic slavery through to the involvement of prominent abolitionists, the story of the Krio ties into the wider themes of the museum’s London, Sugar & Slavery gallery where the display is located.

Keeping both visitors and staff safe is the museum’s top priority and there are several new measures that have now been introduced, including timed ticket slots for entry. Visitors to each museum will be required to book a free ticket online, in advance, for a time slot of their choosing. These tickets are now available to book in six-week windows from www.museumoflondon.org.uk.

Both museums will be open from 11.30am – 3.30pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 6pm Saturday and Sunday.

For more information on opening hours, safety measures in place and what will be open on site please visit the Museum of London and Museum of London Docklands safety measures pages.

The museum’s comprehensive digital offer, which has so far delivered family-friendly online content such as Museum of Fundon and the Great Fire of London: Live Stream as well as online displays and collections such as The Clash: London Calling Smartify tour, Disease X and Windrush Stories, will continue for those who are unable to attend.

Sharon Ament, Director of the Museum of London, said:

“Some people are really missing museums and we are really missing our visitors. What we’ve learned in this period of lockdown is that culture is a necessity of life and it feels to me that the Museum of London is needed now more than ever, from our London, Sugar & Slavery Gallery at the Museum of London Docklands to The Clash: London Calling at the Museum of London. We are really looking forward to welcoming visitors safely into the museum and have been working hard behind the scenes to make this happen. As the Museum of Londoners we can’t wait to have people back in the museum as London finds its new rhythm.”


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Notes for editors

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About the Museum of London

The Museum of London tells the ever-changing story of this great world city and its people, from 450,000 BC to the present day. Our galleries, exhibitions, displays and activities seek to inspire a passion for London and provide a sense of the vibrancy that makes the city such a unique place.

You can explore the Museum of London with collections online – home to 90,000 objects with more being added. www.museumoflondon.org.uk

About the Museum of London Docklands

The Museum of London Docklands is located at West India Quay in east London. Opened in 2003, this grade one listed converted Georgian sugar warehouse specifically tells the story of the people who lived and worked in London’s docks, its maritime and trading history, the city’s role in the transatlantic slave trade and the changing landscape of the Docklands area.

You can explore the Museum of London Docklands with collections online – home to 90,000 objects with more added regularly. www.museumoflondon.org.uk