Migration Museum
Greeting cards, coffee, cosmetics, fashion, fragrance and the Berlin Wall. All things you’d expect to find in a typical UK mall.
Wait… what?!
Standing proud in the middle of Lewisham Shopping Centre are two actual sections of the infamous Berlin Wall. Decorated by Thierry Noir (@ThierryNoir) and Stik (@Stik) they act as a rather unsubtle signpost not just to help you find the Migration Museum, but to “represent everything we do… providing a space for dialogue and reflection across divides”.
The current install is called ‘Taking Care of Business: Migrant Entrepreneurs and the Making of Britain’ and runs throughout 2022. It examines modern Britain by examining various UK business that are frequently immigrant owned and operated.
The meticulous detail of these spaces is brilliant. When I entered the take-away I was immediately transported back to the Chinese chippy that I lived above when I first moved to London in 2001. Yes, you read that right. It was a Chinese takeaway that also did traditional British fish & chips.
That concept alone is worthy of a detailed story about the family that ran the shop. Throughout the exhibit you’ll find over 60 highly personal stories just like it, told through photos, text, audio recordings and occasionally video.
There’s a lot to digest, but you’re not meant to be a passive audience. The ‘Restaurant’ tables offer conversation prompts and areas like the Garment district provide opportunities for you to add your own stories.
That’s what I love most about this worthy addition to London’s esteemed list of museums. It doesn’t just rely on archival photos and glib wall text to explain the struggles of various migrant demographics. It is dedicated to telling individual stories and providing immersive and engaging spaces in which to do so.
Visiting & Further Info
The Migration Museum (@MigrationMuseumUK) is currently located in the Lewisham Shopping Centre — until at least the end of 2023.
Admission is FREE and it’s typically open Wednesday–Sunday. Check the website before you visit to confirm opening hours, especially for weekends and bank holidays.
If you go, be sure to leave a donation or purchase something at the Migrant Makers Market, a concept store and makerspace dedicated exclusively to selling products from migrant-owned businesses and creators.
If you can’t make it to the museum (and even if you can) you might enjoy the Museum blog where they publish additional stories about the migrant experience.