Museum of London Docklands

Museum of London Docklands
Established 2003
Location West India Docks, London E14, England, United Kingdom
Director Sharon Ament
Public transit access West India Quay
Canary Wharf
London Bus routes: 135, 277, D3, D7
Canary Wharf Pier
Website http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands

The Museum of London Docklands (formerly known as Museum in Docklands) is a museum on the Isle of Dogs, east London that tells the history of London's River Thames and the growth of Docklands. The museum is part of the Museum of London jointly funded by the City of London Corporation and the Greater London Authority.

The museum opened in 2003 in grade I listed early-19th century Georgian "low" sugar warehouses built in 1802[1] on the side of West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs, a short walk from the Canary Wharf development.[2]

Collections and exhibits

The nucleus of the collection is the museum and archives of the Port of London Authority which became part of the port and river collections of the Museum of London in 1976, but remained in storage until the museum opened.

The museum uses the latest presentational techniques including videos presented by Tony Robinson, known for his involvement with archaeological television programme Time Team. The museum houses a large collection of historical artefacts, models, and pictures in 12 galleries and a children's gallery (Mudlarks),[2] arranged over two floors. Visitors are directed through the displays in chronological order. The periods covered range from the first port on the Thames in Roman times[3] to the closure of the central London docks in the 1970s and subsequent transformation of the area with commercial and residential developments.

The Museum of London Docklands has a lecture theatre and meeting rooms and hosts talks and events connected with the docks. Several workers who worked on the docks in the 1960s take part in these events, including one from the Pentonville Five. The reading room and Sainsburys Study Centre house the archives.

Entry to the museum is free.[4]

West India Quay with the museum in the background.
The Museum of London Docklands at night


Floor directory

Floor 3 Floor 2 Floor 1 Ground floor Basement floor
Wilberforce Theatre
Quayside Room Function Suite
Thames Highway AD 43-1600
Trade Expansion 1600-1800
Legal Quay 1790s
London Sugar & Slavery 1600 onwards
City and River 1800-1840
Sailortown 1840-1850
First Port of Empire 1840-1880
Warehouse of the World 1880-1939
Docklands at War 1938-1945
New Port, New City 1945 onwards
Thames Gallery 1930-1940
Sainsbury Study Centre
Entrance
Mudlarks For the Under 12s
Special Exhibitions
1802 Café
Rum and Sugar bar and restaurant
Schools and Coach Parties Entrance
Lee Boo Room Refectory and Weekend Picnic Room
Jack Petchey Classroom
Lansbury Classroom
Pocahontas Classroom

The museum recommends visitors start their visit from floor 3

Transport connections

Service Station/Stop Lines/Routes served Distance from
Museum of London Docklands
London Buses London Buses Westferry Station 135, 277, D3, D7
London Underground London Underground Canary Wharf Jubilee line 800 metres walk[5]
Docklands Light Railway Docklands Light Railway West India Quay 2 minute/400 metres walk[6]
London River Services Canary Wharf Pier Commuter Service
Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf Service
650 metres walk[7]

See also

References

External links

Coordinates: 51°30′27″N 0°1′25″W / 51.50750°N 0.02361°W / 51.50750; -0.02361

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