Permanent displays

Discover the world on your doorstep

Discover the stories of some of the amazing people that have made their homes here over the last 1,000 years, from Anglo-Saxon settlers to early Victorian villas and recent refugees.

Hackney's tradition of welcoming newcomers means that its history encompasses the world-wide roots of many communities. The displays reveal this diverse and changing history through fascinating interviews, objects and images.

Safe haven

Some like a child's sculpture from Sierra Leone or a propaganda sheet from Nazi Germany, powerfully illustrate the forces that have driven people to leave their homes.

A place to work

Others like the contents of a Yiddish printing business, show the opportunities people have found here to make a living and start new lives.

Hands-on!

All the family can get stuck in to our hands-on activities. Load the Saxon boat, try on historical costume, bring spooky ghosts to life or try your hand at making Victorian matchboxes against the clock.

Chalmers collection

The new display of art works from the Chalmers Bequest features historic paintings alongside new commissions from Terence Besmirch, Margarita Gluzberg and Paul Needham.