Museum of London Group upcoming events

Under 5s storytime

Join us in our galleries for stories, music and fun every Thursday during term-time, then come and play in Mudlarks.

Date: 12 November 2009.
Times: 15:00

Turn Again Whittington

On the day London's 682nd Lord mayor taking office, follow the footsteps of London's most famous mayor, Dick Whittington, who was Mayor of London four times in the 14th and 15th centuries. Discover the church where he was buried (three times) and see the church of St Mary le Bow whose bells famously told him to "turn again Whittington." Visit Whittington's Livery Company and hear stories of how his fortune still benefits people today. Once the walk has finished you can wait for the new Lord Mayor to emerge from the Guildhall after taking office in the Silent Change ceremony.

Date: 13 November 2009.
Times: 11:00

Creating Disney's 'A Christmas Carol'

Come and hear the story behind Disney's production of one of London's most famous and fascinating stories, Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. In this one-off family talk staff from the production team will talk about their work and you will get a chance to see clips from the actual movie and learn how they were created.

Date: 14 November 2009.
Times: 15:00

Words of the Golden Lotus

Join Shanti, the lost daughter of an old merchant, on her perilous journey of trials and adventures to save her family and discover her new heritage. A tale inspired by traditional Bengali folktales, Words of the Golden Lotus is astory told in poetic verses in English with elements of Bengali song, rhyme and rhythm.

Date: 14 November 2009.
Times: 12:30; 14:30; 15:30

Victorian children

Join our storyteller and discover how poor children survived the streets of Dickens' London.

Date: 15 November 2009.
Times: 13:00; 14:00; 15:00

Roman Fort

Join a Museum curator for a fascinating tour of the remains of Roman London's military fort, now hidden beneath the modern road.

Date: 17 November 2009.
Times: 14:00; 15:00

Little Moles toddlers group

Learn, play and explore together every Wednesday during term-time in this fun, hands-on and creative session.

Date: 18 November 2009.
Times: 15:30

London's Burning

Curator Meriel Jeater details the fast and furious spread of the Great Fire of 1666 and its effects on Londoners and the City. Tour the London's Burning exhibition to find out what London was like at the time and why the fire became such a huge disaster.

Date: 18 November 2009.
Times: 15:00

Racism on the Victorian Stage

Author and academic Hazel Waters explores the racial stereotypes in popular cutlure in nineteenth century Britain. Theatre in the early nineteenth century was much like television now. In a period of explosive urban and industrial growth before mass education and mass literacy, it was the popular medium and drew audiences from all but the very poorest, with many going night after night. Bills were long-lasting from around six till midnight or maybe later and changed every few days. There was an insatiable appetite for new material - much of it cobbled together from a variety of elements - but these forgotten plays, hastily produced, offer a unique glimpse into the mindset of their audiences and those who catered for them. Hazel Waters explores some of this material produced for the local East End theatres for what it tells us about racial attitudes in this formative period of our history. Did the so-called murderous 'Negro of Wapping' really exist? And why was Uncle Tom presented as a comic turn?'

Date: 19 November 2009.
Times: 13:10

Under 5s storytime

Join us in our galleries for stories, music and fun every Thursday during term-time, then come and play in Mudlarks.

Date: 19 November 2009.
Times: 15:00

Valuing the Victorians

With new galleries opening in 2010, the Museum's staff are busy conserving, researching and installing objects for display. Come and have a close-up look at some of the Victorian artefacts from the Museum's collections before they are installed. Take this opportunity to meet our conservators and find out what they do behind the scenes, why their work is so important and some tricks of the trade.

Date: 19 November 2009.
Times: 15:00

Short History of Victorian Childhood

Curator Jim Gledhill discusses the social history of childhood in the Victorian period and compares the life experience of children from different social backgrounds. He examines the development of moral attitudes to children and the major reforms in the area of education and child labour. Children's charities and residential homes are also considered.

Date: 20 November 2009.
Times: 12:45

Christmas decorations

Come and make some Christmas decorations to help decorate Santa's Grotto.

Date: 21 November 2009.
Times: 12:30; 14:30

Darkest Victorian London

In the 19th century London was the weathiest city in the world, but hidden beneath the power and glittering wealth there was a vast number of people living in poverty, neglected and and destitute, struggling to survive. Education was rare and social care non-existent, but some individuals tried to improve conditions, such as Lord Shaftesbury and Dr Barnardo. Labour was often degrading, for instance with 'pure' collecting, or filthy as with chimney sweeping, creating outcasts of many such workers. The workhouse cast its shadow over the poor. Alcohol was a huge problem, but also a consolation, as were the music halls. There are many reminders of this world in the streets of Southwark where our walk will take place.

Date: 21 November 2009.
Times: 11:00

Fire! Fire!

Travel back in time to 1666 with our magical storyteller and find out about the Great Fire of London. How did it start? How long did it last? How was it finally put out?

Date: 22 November 2009.
Times: 13:00; 14:00; 15:00

Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942) U

Holmes specialist and author Amanda Field introduces the first film to feature the modernised London detective, recruited as England's secret weapon to help win the war.

Date: 22 November 2009.
Times: 14:00

In conversation with Shami Chakrabarti

In conversation with Robert Elms, Shami Chakrabarti shares her defining memoires of the capital. Shami has been Director of Liberty (The National Council for Civil Liberties) since September 2003. Shami first joined Liberty as In-House Counsel on 10 September 2001 and became heavily involved in its engagement with the 'War on Terror' and the defence and promotion of human rights values in parliament, the courts and wider society. A barrister by background, she was called to the bar in 1994 and worked as a lawyer in the Home Office from 1996 until 2001 for governments of both persuasions. Since becoming Liberty's Director she has written, spoken and broadcast widely on the importance of the post-Second World War human rights framework as an essential component of democratic society. She is Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, a Governor of the London School of Economics and the British Film Institute, a Visiting Fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford and a Master of the Bench of Middle Temple.

Date: 25 November 2009.
Times: 19:00

Little Moles toddlers group

Learn, play and explore together every Wednesday during term-time in this fun, hands-on and creative session.

Date: 25 November 2009.
Times: 15:30