please empty your brain below
I’d be tempted to argue that London’s most recent mass destruction event was the “Comprehensive Redevelopment” of the 1960s. And, to that point I wonder whether the new museum will have a section on the planned Ringways and what would have happened had car-obsessed planners had their way.

Robert Butlin | 29.11.22 - 7:18 a.m. | #

I, too, had the good fortune to visit the MoL again yesterday, as was only able to visit the ground floor a few weeks ago, and we ran our of time after two hours (I had been once before, ~20 years ago).

We allowed even more time to explore the lower level, giving us time to listen to a most interesting talk by Roxy on Charles I before we left.

You sum up the mood of the museum very well and I concur with your observations, especially that it's seemingly too gloomy in places to fully appreciate the exhibits.

I frolicked in the surreal mirrored Pleasure Gardens, and stood in awe at one of Pepys' silver dinner plates and my favourite exhibit (only two others exist - both in the US).

The main reason I was sure I went though was to marvel at the thousands of items on display. I also fear that many of these will simply never be seen again. The extensiveness of the Roman section highlights how strategically important Londinium's location is and is a must linger. Do go!

Ken | 29.11.22 - 8:32 a.m. | #

I fear that yet another museum will be dumbed down, infantilised and woked.
I hope I'm wrong.

Andy Riley | 29.11.22 - 8:39 a.m. | #

🚨 Woke Klaxon 🚨

(don't start...)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 29.11.22 - 8:44 a.m. | #

Having visited many times, I'll miss the MoL despite it's drawbacks and dated feel. I can smile now (if not at the time) at the visits that have been drastically shortened by hordes of screeching hi-viz wearing primary school kids. I look forward to the new one, but am bemused why the existing has to close quite so soon.

Frank F | 29.11.22 - 9:00 a.m. | #

I'm hoping to be there for a last look around early on Sunday morning, courtesy of the 24-hour opening. Other plans for the weekend mean that's the only time I have free. I expect a breakfast-time visit to the museum will be an odd experience.

Alan S | 29.11.22 - 9:14 a.m. | #

Aaah, I'm going to miss this old gal!

I really hope the new one engages me in the same way.
More tech and button pressing is all well and good for getting information into school children, but I would prefer to read and pause to look at the object while doing so, than just view life from on a screen.

But of course it won't have a real Roman Wall to look down on - always a highlight.

Cornish Cockney | 29.11.22 - 9:39 a.m. | #

You can't beat stuff. You can decide for yourself what to think about it which might not always be what the curators think you ought to notice. I do hope they don't get rid of stuff to make space for AV, VR, AI or whatever is the latest thing when they eventually open.

Tony | 29.11.22 - 9:46 a.m. | #

If I were emperor of the world I'd Tate it: Modern at Smithfield, Classic at Barbican, with the watershed being the birth of Charles Lamb, the first modern Londoner in 1775. But if some Barbican displays can be considered London history in their own right, do they go in Modern, or remain in situ?

jpmac | 29.11.22 - 9:54 a.m. | #

I remember visiting the old London Museum at Kensington Palace, back in the dark ages, but the Fire of London diorama is the only part I really absorbed.
I’ve done a desultory online search, to no avail, but given how different the new Museum will be, I’d love to read a contemporary press report explaining how different the Barbican museum was from its Kensington forebear. I do think that it was among the first “establishment” museums to start to move away from a purely western-centric worldview, seeking to explain the impact of the world on London, and London on the world.

Philip Downer | 29.11.22 - 9:59 a.m. | #

My turn to say that I probably walked alongside dg without knowing it. I was at the museum yesterday and took the exact same photo as the last one at the closed cafe, even the people at the tables are the same. Nice to meet you dg although I still have no idea who you are.

Renata | 29.11.22 - 10:03 a.m. | #

For all the wonderful exhibits my main memory of the museuem is once accidentally setting off the fire alarm.

cjw714 | 29.11.22 - 10:52 a.m. | #

I will try and visit again this week, I agree it's odd why the Barbican site is closing such as long time before the new museum opens.
It won't take 3 years to move the current exhibits across, so it can’t be a financial decision.

Mikey C | 29.11.22 - 10:52 a.m. | #

I suspect that the closure date may be a relic from the plan to build a new concert hall on the current Museum Of London site; a plan which of course was quietly canned during the pandemic.

The City apparently needs to redevelop this site to pay for the new Museum and for improvements to the Barbican Centre and Estate. There was a piece about the somewhat controversial architectural plans in the Observer at the weekend.

CJS | 29.11.22 - 10:59 a.m. | #

Does Michael Hordern still narrate the Great Fire presentation from beyond the grave? And will he survive the transition?

Jonathan Wadman | 29.11.22 - 12:02 p.m. | #

Is there any indication as to the future of the site now that the intended concert venue is no more?

dg writes: see Observer article linked above.

William | 29.11.22 - 12:38 p.m. | #

Disappointing lack of innuendos in today's post, hopefully they'll return tomorrow

Jamesthegill | 29.11.22 - 4:51 p.m. | #

Another tree just coming to maturity, which will be lost without replacement. No doubt the developers can’t wait to raze the site and replace it with yet another eyesore that nobody needs.

Civic vandalism at its worst. The buildings could easily renovated and put to further use.

Steve | Homepage | 29.11.22 - 10:18 p.m. | #

Whilst I welcome the fact that defunct parts of Smithfield Market will be re-furbished to house the Museum, I will miss it in its current home, including the circuitous walk to get there through the Barbican estate, as I've visited the Museum regularly for decades.

I have some concerns about the new way of presenting the past virtually, rather than through the use of real physical objects. In my view there is nothing like seeing real stuff in the flesh, rather than just watching digital recreations of the past, however "realistic" they are intended to be.

It will be sad if too many objects currently on show are hidden away off-site, never to be seen by the public again. Here I think the Museum is unfortunate though, in not having a facility similar to the Acton Depot of the London Transport Museum, where objects that are not displayed in Covent Garden can nevertheless be seen by the public on the regular Open Days that are held at the Depot.

So its fingers crossed that in its new form and location, the Museum can continue to present London's amazing history in an informative and engaging way for all generations to enjoy.

IanD | 29.11.22 - 10:23 p.m. | #

It's a great shame that the current site could not stay open until the new site was ready. It's pretty ridiculous that the museum will be closed for 3 or more years.

Stephen | 02.12.22 - 5:36 a.m. | #











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