Discover the hidden histories and secrets of London’s rivers

Secret Rivers, at the Museum of London Docklands from 24 May – 27 October, combines art and archaeology, with mudlarking, photography, film and much more to uncover the mysteries of London’s rivers, both those that flow above ground and those that have been buried beneath our feet. The exhibition shows how London has been shaped by …

British Library explores the history of writing

Writing: Making Your Mark (26 April – 27 August 2019) is a landmark British Library exhibition, which spans 5,000 years across the globe, exploring one of humankind’s greatest achievements – the act of writing. Beginning with the origins of writing in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and the Americas, the exhibition will chart the evolution of writing …

Dark tourism, darker history: exploring museums of crime

If you want to know more about your criminal ancestors, there are an increasing number of museums catering to your needs, as Nell Darby explores. Dark tourism is the act of travelling to sites that are associated with death, tragedy or crime. As such, dark tourism has been increasingly analysed by academics, drawing parallels between …

National Archives exhibition explores the Cold War

Protect and Survive: Britain’s Cold War Revealed is a new exhibition at The National Archives in Kew exploring the impact of the Cold War on Britain, from the corridors of power and hidden government bunkers to daily life in the home. Discover the real evidence of what happened during this turbulent era of secrets and paranoia. Mark …

New exhibition on the history of caring for older people

A new exhibition at the Royal College of Nursing shows how the way we care for older people has changed over the last 200 years, shifting from workhouses, institutions and care homes and into the 21st century. ‘Aspects of Age’ starts with the problematic history of admitting older people into workhouses, through to changes in hospital …

The Bethnal Green tragedy

By Nell Darby. The construction of Bethnal Green tube station, as part of the Central Line extension, was still incomplete in March 1943, although the tunnels had been largely finished. Since 1940, the station had been used as an air raid shelter, after being requisitioned by the government. Particularly during the first Blitz in 1940, …