Introduction
If you’ve been searching for the London Museum opening date, you’re not alone. Ever since the Museum of London at the Barbican closed, we’ve been asked the same question on our tours every single week: when will the new London Museum open? The wait is finally over—the new London Museum at Smithfield will open its doors on 28 November 2026, bringing London’s history back to life in a spectacular new setting.
The brand-new London Museum will officially open its permanent galleries at Smithfield on 28 November 2026, transforming the historic General Market into a vibrant, free cultural space in the heart of the City. This long-awaited reopening marks the culmination of a decade-long restoration of one of London’s great Victorian market buildings, and it promises to be nothing short of spectacular.
Set within beautifully restored architecture by Stanton Williams, Asif Khan, and conservation specialists Julian Harrap, the museum will bring together thousands of years of London’s history in a way that feels alive, immersive, and deeply connected to the city today. This is not just a museum—it’s designed as a social space for Londoners and visitors alike, blending history, culture, food, and entertainment from day into night.
Inside, visitors will move through three key spaces. “Real Time” captures London as it is now, while “Our Time” forms the beating heart of the museum—a lively hub filled with events, installations, and experiences. Beneath it all lies “Past Time,” where the story of London unfolds from its earliest beginnings through Roman Londinium, the medieval city, the Great Fire, the Blitz, and beyond.
The objects on display reflect London in all its grit and glitter. Highlights include the Lord Mayor’s Coach, Charles I’s execution vest, Emmeline Pankhurst’s hunger strike medal, the Cheapside Hoard, and even the infamous Whitechapel Fatberg. There are also remarkable archaeological finds, including Roman writing tablets from the Bloomberg excavations—some of the earliest surviving voices of London.
What makes this particularly exciting for us is its location. Smithfield is one of the oldest parts of London, steeped in centuries of dramatic, often gruesome history—and it’s exactly where our tours come to life.
Just moments from the museum, we run our “Bleeding Hearts and Body Parts” tour, diving into the darker side of London’s past—executions, crime, and the visceral realities of life and death in the historic city. It’s the perfect companion to the museum’s artefacts like Charles I’s execution vest or the stories behind the infamous Newgate prison.
In other words, you can now pair one of London’s most exciting new museums with an immersive, on-the-ground experience of the very history it tells.
With free entry, world-class collections, and a dynamic programme of events, the London Museum is set to become a must-visit destination. And with our tours right on its doorstep, you can go beyond the displays and step directly into the stories of London’s past.
