About
The Migration Museum tells the complex stories of migration and displacement across Britain and around the world. Located in Lambeth, this innovative museum explores why people move, how they adapt, and the lasting impact of migration on communities.
Through interactive exhibitions, personal testimonies, contemporary art, and community engagement, the museum creates spaces for dialogue about identity, belonging, and diversity.
The Migration Museum challenges stereotypes and celebrates the rich cultural contributions of migrants across centuries.
Categories:
Annual Visitors (2023)
45,000
Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Tuesday, Wednesday morning
Busiest: Saturday, Sunday, school holidays
💡 Weekday mornings for quieter contemplative experience; Thursday evenings for events and programs
💡 Visitor Tips
- Allocate 90 minutes minimum to absorb the personal stories and reflective nature of exhibits
- Download the free app for enhanced audio guide experience with additional personal testimonies
- Visit during quieter weekday mornings for contemplative experience, or Thursday evenings for events and programs
- The museum frequently hosts evening events, talks, and performances—check website for cultural programs
- Bring tissues; many stories are emotionally moving and thought-provoking
- The café serves internationally inspired food reflecting diverse migrant experiences
Highlights
Stories of Movement
Interactive gallery featuring personal testimonies and objects from migrants across centuries, revealing why people move and how they adapt to new homes
Belonging and Home
Exhibition exploring what home means, featuring personal objects that migrants brought to Britain—photographs, recipes, textiles—revealing the emotional dimensions of displacement
Contemporary Art Commissions
Works by artists exploring migration, identity, and displacement through painting, video, sculpture, and installation
Object Stories
Everyday items—suitcases, letters, food containers, clothing—each telling profound stories of journey, loss, and resilience
Collections
The Migration Museum's collections focus on personal narratives and material culture related to migration and displacement. Holdings include photographs documenting journeys and settlement, letters and documents revealing family histories, textiles and domestic objects representing cultural connections, and contemporary artworks engaging migration themes.
The museum prioritizes community participation in collection development, actively acquiring materials from migrant communities to ensure diverse representation.
Collections span historical migration patterns to contemporary displacement crises, emphasizing the universal human experience of movement.
Here Is Elsewhere: On Migration
Comprehensive exploration of global migration patterns, drivers, and human impacts across centuries to present day
📍 Ground and first floors
Home and Away
Personal stories and objects exploring what 'home' means to people who have moved across borders
📍 First floor
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
// Check website for current exhibitions
The museum regularly presents rotating exhibitions by contemporary artists and community-curated displays