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London is...

home to people of every race and faith. More than 300 languages are spoken here, and whilst some cultural groups have been here for centuries, 30% of Londoners today were born abroad.

This site searches for the histories that relate to all the cultures of London. We focus on London museums, but also look at archives, galleries and the history work of communities themselves.


Find out more about this site, or contact us with your comments.

A dapper young Black man leans over factory machinery

Keep Smiling Through at Cuming Museum

A new exhibition explores the contributions made by black Londoners on the Home Front during the Second World War. Those celebrated range from entertainers and broadcasters to doctors and nurses ... and the world's sweetest evacuee.

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Asian Music Archives

Discover the best Asian music archives in the capital, where you can listen to rare recordings or delve into the history of record shops and musicians.

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drawing shows chinese men reading newspaper in limehouse

The Chinese In Limehouse

There were never more than a few hundred Chinese people living in Limehouse at the turn of the 19th/20th century. A talk at the Museum In Docklands looked at the fact and fiction of Chinese Limehouse. We reproduce his talk here.

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photo shows leaded chinese bowl for leaving offerings for the dead

Assembling The Jigsaw Puzzle Of History At The Museum Of Croydon

Black and white, straight and gay, ancient and modern: how do stories from the history of Croydon fit together? Learn about Croydon's collections with this new website.

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Keep Smiling Through: Black Londoners on the Home Front 1939 - 1945

This exhibition at the Cuming Museum reveals the contributions made by black people to the home front in London during the Second World War.

LGBT Month 08 - Making a rukus! about Black gay life at Museum in Docklands

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With a lesbian and gay community numbering over half a million and arguably the most culturally diverse populace on earth, the city of London is a cornucopia of stories about black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (BLGBT) experiences.

Click here to find out more...


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