Museum London
Museum London sits in the heart of historic London, Ontario. Once the site of an early burial ground it became a garrison for early militia, and eventually a commercial site for companies like Dutch Laundry, Penman’s Knitwear, and Dennisteel. In the 1960s, the City of London began purchasing some of the area around the Forks of the Thames for revitalization.
Museum London started as the London Regional Art Gallery and had been operating from the London Public Library downtown since the 1940s. In 1979 the city decided to build the new museum at the fork of the Thames. They commissioned Raymond Moriyama to design the building. Moriyama was responsible for several iconic Canadian projects including the Bata Shoe Museum, The Ontario Science Center, Science North, and the Canadian War Museum. The London Regional Art Gallery opened to the public on May 3, 1980, and the design initially drew criticism for its apparent barnyard exterior.
The Art Gallery began hosting various shows out of the new gallery, including a large exhibit on the work of London artist Paul Peel in 1986. On April 1, 1989, the London Regional Art Gallery became the London Regional Art and Historical Museums (LRAHM), adding the commitment to preserving the history of London and managing other museums including Eldon House. In 2001, the name changed one last time to Museum London. In 2013, Museum London and Eldon House separated becoming their own distinct entities. Museum London has continued to develop and change, adding in more infrastructure including the Centre at the Forks which opened in 2018.
Today, Museum London holds over 45,000 artifacts and 5,000 pieces of art from local, national, and international artists and individuals. Museum London honours a commitment to preserving the history of London through its historical exhibits, as well as fostering creative expression in the city with their popular workshops for all ages. To learn more about their programs and exhibits, visit: https://museumlondon.ca/