Hackney Museum

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.

Some of them, like the child’s sculpture from Sierra Leone and the propaganda sheet from Nazi Germany, powerfully illustrate the forces that have driven people to leave their homes. Others like the contents of a Yiddish printing business, show the opportunities people have found here to make a living and start new lives.

Plus our display of artworks from the Chalmers Bequest features historic paintings alongside commissions from Terence Besmirch, Margarita Gluzberg and Paul Needham.

All the family can get stuck into our hands-on activities. Load the Saxon boat, try on a historical costume or try your hand at making Victorian matchboxes against the clock.

Please note: hands-on activities have been removed for health and safety reasons during the pandemic.

Upcoming (1)

Photobooth at Hackney Museum primary image

Photobooth at Hackney Museum

Sat, Jun 1, 12:00 PM

Free

Photobooth at Hackney Museum primary image

Photobooth at Hackney Museum

Sat, Jun 1, 12:00 PM

Free

Past (96)

Talk by artist and photographer Tom Hunter primary image

Talk by artist and photographer Tom Hunter

Thu, Nov 30, 6:30 PM

Free

Talk and exclusive preview with photographer Neil Martinson primary image

Talk and exclusive preview with photographer Neil Martinson

Thu, Nov 2, 6:30 PM

Free

At Home in Hackney: Talk with Photographers primary image

At Home in Hackney: Talk with Photographers

Thu, Oct 26, 6:30 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Oct 12, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to1990s? primary image

Do you remember Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to1990s?

Wed, Oct 11, 6:00 PM

Free

Do you remember Housing in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Housing in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Oct 4, 6:00 PM

Free

Do you remember Youth Culture in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Youth Culture in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Sep 27, 6:00 PM

Free

At Home in Hackney: A community photographed 1970-today primary image

At Home in Hackney: A community photographed 1970-today

Thu, Sep 14, 6:00 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Jun 29, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Jun 28, 6:00 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Jun 22, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Jun 21, 6:00 PM

Free

Talk by artist and photographer Tom Hunter primary image

Talk by artist and photographer Tom Hunter

Thu, Nov 30, 6:30 PM

Free

Talk and exclusive preview with photographer Neil Martinson primary image

Talk and exclusive preview with photographer Neil Martinson

Thu, Nov 2, 6:30 PM

Free

At Home in Hackney: Talk with Photographers primary image

At Home in Hackney: Talk with Photographers

Thu, Oct 26, 6:30 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Oct 12, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to1990s? primary image

Do you remember Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to1990s?

Wed, Oct 11, 6:00 PM

Free

Do you remember Housing in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Housing in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Oct 4, 6:00 PM

Free

Do you remember Youth Culture in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Youth Culture in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Sep 27, 6:00 PM

Free

At Home in Hackney: A community photographed 1970-today primary image

At Home in Hackney: A community photographed 1970-today

Thu, Sep 14, 6:00 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Jun 29, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Jun 28, 6:00 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Jun 22, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Jun 21, 6:00 PM

Free

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.

Some of them, like the child’s sculpture from Sierra Leone and the propaganda sheet from Nazi Germany, powerfully illustrate the forces that have driven people to leave their homes. Others like the contents of a Yiddish printing business, show the opportunities people have found here to make a living and start new lives.

Plus our display of artworks from the Chalmers Bequest features historic paintings alongside commissions from Terence Besmirch, Margarita Gluzberg and Paul Needham.

All the family can get stuck into our hands-on activities. Load the Saxon boat, try on a historical costume or try your hand at making Victorian matchboxes against the clock.

Please note: hands-on activities have been removed for health and safety reasons during the pandemic.

Events

Photobooth at Hackney Museum primary image

Photobooth at Hackney Museum

Sat, Jun 1, 12:00 PM

Free

Photobooth at Hackney Museum primary image

Photobooth at Hackney Museum

Sat, Jun 1, 12:00 PM

Free

Talk by artist and photographer Tom Hunter primary image

Talk by artist and photographer Tom Hunter

Thu, Nov 30, 6:30 PM

Free

Talk and exclusive preview with photographer Neil Martinson primary image

Talk and exclusive preview with photographer Neil Martinson

Thu, Nov 2, 6:30 PM

Free

At Home in Hackney: Talk with Photographers primary image

At Home in Hackney: Talk with Photographers

Thu, Oct 26, 6:30 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Oct 12, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to1990s? primary image

Do you remember Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to1990s?

Wed, Oct 11, 6:00 PM

Free

Do you remember Housing in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Housing in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Oct 4, 6:00 PM

Free

Do you remember Youth Culture in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Youth Culture in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Sep 27, 6:00 PM

Free

At Home in Hackney: A community photographed 1970-today primary image

At Home in Hackney: A community photographed 1970-today

Thu, Sep 14, 6:00 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Jun 29, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Jun 28, 6:00 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Jun 22, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Jun 21, 6:00 PM

Free

Talk by artist and photographer Tom Hunter primary image

Talk by artist and photographer Tom Hunter

Thu, Nov 30, 6:30 PM

Free

Talk and exclusive preview with photographer Neil Martinson primary image

Talk and exclusive preview with photographer Neil Martinson

Thu, Nov 2, 6:30 PM

Free

At Home in Hackney: Talk with Photographers primary image

At Home in Hackney: Talk with Photographers

Thu, Oct 26, 6:30 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Oct 12, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to1990s? primary image

Do you remember Mental Health Provision in Hackney in the 1970s to1990s?

Wed, Oct 11, 6:00 PM

Free

Do you remember Housing in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Housing in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Oct 4, 6:00 PM

Free

Do you remember Youth Culture in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Youth Culture in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Sep 27, 6:00 PM

Free

At Home in Hackney: A community photographed 1970-today primary image

At Home in Hackney: A community photographed 1970-today

Thu, Sep 14, 6:00 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Jun 29, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Adventure Playgrounds in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Jun 28, 6:00 PM

Free

Online Workshop - Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s primary image

Online Workshop - Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s

Thu, Jun 22, 6:30 PM GMT+1

Free

Do you remember Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s? primary image

Do you remember Sport in Hackney in the 1970s to 1990s?

Wed, Jun 21, 6:00 PM

Free