The Manor House Lodge venue in Finsbury Park where the Museum of Homelessness will open
(Picture: Matt Turtle)The only dedicated Museum of Homelessness in the world has finally found a permanent home in London’s Finsbury Park.
After several years of moving between different locations in north London, the team - led by husband and wife Matt and Jess Turtle - have secured a 10-year community lease from Haringey Council for Manor House Lodge.
The centre will primarily be used to host performances, talks and workshop developed by creatives with a history of homelessness.
“Our aim is to tackle the stigma and biases around homelessness,” said Mr Turtle.
“You can only really do that if you are educating on it through the museum but also trying to tackle the things that are happening at the same time. One of the things we are involved with is a lot of campaigning work as well.”
“We don’t aim to eliminate all homelessness, that’s a huge project, but we want to provide input and help where we can.”
The museum has been established for around seven years and is completely run by people who have had prior experience of homelessness or, in some cases, who are homeless.
The Manor House Lodge site will open fully in its new location in the spring of 2023 but Mr Turtle is keen for local engagement with the project and the opening to have a gradual feel.
“It’s been a bit of a journey and we are really glad to be at this point,” he said.
The centre will be used to store archive items related to homelessness and host live performances and workshops put together by artists in residence Jacob V Joyce, Surfing Sofas and Liv Wynter.
In addition, the museum will provide 250 support sessions per year (five per week) from Manor House Lodge - designed in partnership with those in need.
Finsbury Park is considered an area that could attract rough sleepers, but also - according to Mr Turtle - somewhere where there is a risk of hidden homelessness.
“We think about people sleeping outside but the vast majority are in some emergency accommodation,” he said. “Our work is going to be focused as well on those.”
For the latest updates on the museum, visit: museumofhomelessness.org
