Museum in Docklands’ best year ever
22 April 2008
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Museum in Docklands has had its busiest year since it opened five years ago. Almost 108,000 visitors flocked to see the Museum and particularly the new London, Sugar & Slavery gallery, which opened last November.
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Director of the Museum in Docklands, David Spence, said: "Overall the Museum’s numbers of visits are up 6.7% on last year, but what is really thrilling us is the enthusiastic response to our new London, Sugar & Slavery gallery which has attracted 40% more visits in the last five months.
'This is a huge endorsement of Museum in Docklands. It’s not unusual for museums to have lots of visitors when they first open, but many have a bit of a dip before they pick up again. Museum in Docklands has consistently attracted over 100,000 visits each year since it opened.
'Jack the Ripper and the East End, the first major exhibition to explore the Jack the Ripper murders and their enduring legacy, opens on 15 May and ticket sales are already doing well, so we are optimistic about building on this momentum.'
Museum in Docklands was recently cited in the Lonely Planet guide as one of the main draws for tourists visiting Canary Wharf.
One visitor said of the London, Sugar & Slavery gallery:
'Thank you for this exhibition. The only way we can learn from and not repeat our mistakes is by talking about them, however uncomfortable it may be.'
Another described their visit to Museum in Docklands as:
'A most enjoyable and informative experience, having been a Londoner all my life I was surprised at the amount I learned.'
Notes to editors
- For further information and pictures please contact Clea Relly at crelly@museumoflondon.org.uk or on 020 7814 5503.
- Museum in Docklands explores London's connections with the world through the 2000 year history of the river, port and people. Across four floors of interactive displays the Museum’s unique collection takes you on a journey through stories of the Thames and surrounding areas from Roman settlement to the urban regeneration of Canary Wharf.
- The London, Sugar & Slavery gallery was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Renaissance in the Regions.
The Heritage Lottery Fund awarded £506,500 for the London, Sugar & Slavery gallery and over £14million to more than 165 projects related to the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade and the slave trade generally. In addition, the HLF has given a grant of £10million to Bristol City Council for the Museum of Bristol: The People's Story, which will include a new gallery on Bristol and the slave trade.
Renaissance in the Regions is supporting the project with £230,000. Renaissance is the Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Council’s £150million programme to transform England's regional museums. For the first time ever, investment from central government is helping regional museums across the country to raise their standards and deliver real results in support of education, learning, community development and economic regeneration.
- Jack the Ripper and the East End runs from 15 May - 2 November 2008.
People can book tickets at www.museumindocklands.org.uk/jacktheripper or on 0844 980 2151 (call centre open Mon-Fri 9.15am to 6pm, Sat-Sun 10am to 6pm, UK calls only)
Timed tickets and booking fee apply.
Museum in Docklands
West India Quay
London E14 4AL
Kids go free
Open daily 10am-6pm
tel: 0870 444 3856