Having undergone a large-scale overhaul under the watchful eyes of Wright & Wright Architects, the reimagined Museum of the Home will reopen to the public on 19th September.
There will be a substantial amount of new space for visitors to roam, with the site now equipped with 80% more exhibition space than prior to its closure. New learning and event spaces, a Collections Library, cafe, a living green rooftop, and an additional entrance opposite Hoxton station are among the additions.
New look. New direction. New appeal? Museum of the Home set for 2020 return
“We can’t wait to throw open the doors and welcome visitors old and new to explore our transformed spaces, stories and programmes,” says Sonia Solicari, the Museum’s director.
The Museum will, she notes, “reveal and rethink the way we live through a dynamic programme of exhibitions, discussions, artist collaborations and events – whether those are experienced on-site or remotely”.
“We will bring to life diverse experiences of home over the centuries, providing a place to consider the ways we have lived in the past in order to explore creative ideas about new ways of living in and looking at the world,” Solicari adds. “This feels particularly relevant at this moment, when our home living experiences are constantly shifting due to world events.”
Changes to the Museum of the Home are no way limited to the aesthetic, however. A shift in focus from primarily historical programming towards the incorporation of more contemporary, diverse perspectives will also be evident. The new Home Galleries will address topics including religion, changing design tastes, domestic gender roles, homelessness and migration.
Many staples at the Museum also remain in situ, with the Rooms and Gardens Through Time, formerly known as the Period Rooms and Gardens, returning alongside a new addition in the form of an eco-friendly living green rooftop.
All that remains for the Museum to do prior to opening is to raise the last £530,000 of the total redevelopment cost. Some of this figure is being sought through Sow A Seed, a public campaign to raise £10,000 to fully restore the site’s Gardens Through Time.
Coronavirus caveat
Since setting the date for reopening, the situation with Covid-19 in the UK has changed rapidly and new health advice from government has led most museums to close indefinitely.
In light of this, the Museum of the Home says it will “continue to closely monitor the situation” and any impact it may have on its reopening date. Protecting the health and wellbeing of its staff, volunteers, visitors and partners remains its number one priority.
