Hackney,
12
October
2020
|
13:47
Europe/London

Hackney Museum set to re-open on 13 October - with a brand new exhibition

Screenshot 2020-10-12 at 11.00.00

Hackney Museum is set to reopen this week, with an exciting new exhibition, ‘Hackney in the 1980s’.

The exhibition - featuring an extraordinary collection of thousands of photographs taken in 1980s Hackney, found in the basement of the Rio Cinema in 2018 - had been due to launch earlier this year. It will finally open alongside the regular artifacts and treasures of the Museum this Tuesday. 

From stories of Anglo-Saxon settlers to recent refugees, the Museum’s insightful collections encompass the stories of the amazing people that have made Hackney their home over the last 1,000 years.

Taking on new safety measures in light of the pandemic, the Museum has introduced a way to book free tickets via a booking system which will stagger visitors and minimise crowds. Other measures include providing hand sanitiser, protective screens, and a one-way system around the galleries.

Hackney’s tradition of welcoming newcomers means that its history encompasses the world-wide roots of our many communities. The Museum explores this diverse and changing history through fascinating interviews, objects and images. After months working behind the scenes to ensure that our displays are safe for visitors, we are thrilled once again to be able to welcome people back to discover for themselves the stories of some of the amazing people that have made Hackney their homes over the last 1,000 years.
Rebecca Odell, Museum Manager

About the ‘Hackney in the 1980s’ exhibition 

During a recent refurbishment, Rio Cinema staff uncovered thousands of images and linked them back to once belonging to community group ‘The Tape/Slide Project’. Set up in the 80s by the late Centerprise Bookshop, the collective gave young people access to professional photography equipment with the intention of capturing the highs and lows of Hackney. After calling on Stoke Newington photographer Alan Denney to restore and digitise the slides, the photos will now be displayed as part of the exhibition with an official launch to be announced later this month. 

Important visitor information

  • The Museum will open Tuesday-Saturday from 13 October 2020. 
  • Opening hours: Tues, Wed: 9.30am-5.30pm, Thurs: 9.30am-8.00pm, Fri: 9.30am-5.30pm, Sat: 10.00am-5.00pm
  • Visitors can also book over the phone during opening hours at 020 8356 2509
  • In order to ensure the safety of our visitors, some interactive and audio-visual elements and family activities have been temporarily removed to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. Public toilets are currently unavailable. The Museum is committed to reintroducing these once it is safe to do so. 
  • To help keep the Museum fun and safe for all ages, and prevent the spread of coronavirus, visitors are asked to not visit if they are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19, to wear a face covering if able, and to stay more than 2 metres apart from people not in their household during their visit.