London Museum to reopen on Nov. 28 after £437 million revamp

The museum will open its new home in Smithfield’s General Market on 28 November, marking its 50th anniversary.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 13 Oct 2026 18:06:47 GMT

The Museum of London will open its new premises in the restored Victorian General Market building in Farringdon on 28 November 2026, according to both the Standard and the Independent.

What happened

After closing its London Wall site in 2022, the museum spent about a decade renovating the General Market and the adjacent 1960s Poultry Market. The £437 million project created a larger, contemporary space for the museum’s seven‑million‑object collection and added two temporary exhibition spaces, a learning centre and a collections store. The General Market will host the main galleries, while the Poultry Market is slated to open in 2028.

What the reports add

The Standard notes that the General Market had been out of public use for more than 30 years before the revamp, and that the museum’s launch coincides with its 50th anniversary.
The Independent adds that the new site will feature Victorian underground vaults for displays, evening DJ sets, and new items such as the original red sign from the first Morley’s chicken shop in Sydenham.
The Standard reports that admission to the new museum will be free, although some special exhibitions and experiences may require a ticket.
According to the Standard, the galleries will be arranged into three interconnected zones called Real Time, Our Time and Past Time, showcasing Roman mosaics, the Great Fire, the 2012 Olympics, the Lord Mayor’s Coach, the Cheapside Hoard and even a six‑metre viewing window into the Thameslink line.
The Independent describes the restoration of historic facades designed by Horace Jones, the excavation of Victorian vaults and salt stores, and the preservation of decorative ironwork and stone masonry.

What was said

“This has been a long undertaking – not without its challenges but mostly filled with immense joy and hyper‑creativity – and now we are counting down the days to welcome our first visitors,”

— Sharon Ament, director, quoted by the Standard.

“We’ve always been ambitious and bold. Over the years, we have created a new sort of museum,”

— Sharon Ament, quoted by the Independent.

“It’s remarkable to be repurposing this set of buildings that had a former life as a market and making it into a museum, that feels like a really special thing to do,”

— Sharon Ament, quoted by the Independent.

“The benefits of the new building for people travelling into London are that they get off at Farringdon; we’re at the centre of a transport hub, and that was the big wow,”

— Sharon Ament, quoted by the Independent.

How it came about

The museum inherited the derelict Smithfield Victorian General Market, once a major meat and poultry hub, and transformed it into a cultural venue. Restoration began around 2016, involving the repair of historic facades, the excavation of underground vaults and salt stores, and the preservation of decorative ironwork. After ten years and a £437 million investment, the project is complete, positioning the museum to celebrate its half‑century milestone in a modern setting at the heart of a major transport hub.

Key facts

The Museum of London will open its new location on 28 November 2026. (standard.co.uk)
The renovation cost £437 million and took about ten years. (standard.co.uk)
The new site is the restored Victorian General Market in Farringdon, with the adjacent Poultry Market opening in 2028. (standard.co.uk)
Director Sharon Ament described the project as a long undertaking filled with joy and hyper‑creativity. (standard.co.uk)
The museum’s collection includes seven million objects and will feature Victorian underground vaults and new items like the original Morley’s chicken shop sign. (independent.co.uk)