The Museum of London has released a “love letter” to the city in a video after it closed its doors in its city venue.
The museum saw its busiest weekend on December 3-4, with 13,000 people attending as it marked its last weekend before its closure and relocation.
It is set to reopen in 2026 in a new location ten minutes’ walk away in Smithfield Market and to be renamed the London Museum.
The Museum shared a video with the Standard thanking Londoners for their support with a poem recounting the capital’s rich history by poet Courtney Conrad.
The poem, This Great City, references landmark moments in London’s history and pays tribute to the ever-changing nature of the capital throughout history.
She said: “The staff at the Museum of London are so passionate about this city and its history which made the poem even more enjoyable to write.
“I’m a migrant from Jamaica and in a way walking through the museum and jotting down notes for the poem was my own history lesson. I also wanted to include the little things that bring me joy in London.
“London is such a fast paced city which means sometimes we aren’t afforded the time to really sit with the little joys that make it a brilliant city to visit and live in, so I appreciate this project for giving me the space to do so.”
The poem begins: “This city of London is a time machine, with each step I straddle between the past and present,” and ends: “This city, its people, and its culture are forever changing.
“Every head turn captures countless moments, and the head turn doesn’t end here.”
Sharon Ament, the director of the museum, said: “The Museum of London has been breaking ground and celebrating the capital for the last 45 years at our home in London Wall.
“Since first opening in 1976, we’ve welcomed over 21 million visitors, including more than 1.5 million school children since 1998.
“Over the past month, almost 80,000 Londoners have visited the Museum to celebrate our unique collection and remember almost five decades of storytelling about this fantastic city.
“We’re hugely proud of what we’ve achieved here and remain ambitious to continue to serve Londoners through our museum in Docklands and with a world-class new site in West Smithfield from 2026.”
