In 1906 the Cuming Museum officially opened for the first time. Now in its centenary year, the Museum has re-opened again in a new fully accessible venue at the Old Walworth Town Hall.
The museum has two permanent galleries and one temporary exhibition space. The first gallery holds the Cuming family collection – objects from all over the planet gathered in the 18th and 19th centuries - a mixture of tourist souvenirs of the day, and irreplaceably rare artefacts from the voyages of explorers like Captain Cook.
The second gallery tells the story of Southwark’s history from Roman times to the present day. The current temporary exhibition is ‘Unwrapped! Art from Southwark’s Collection’ and includes works by John Ruskin, Ford Madox Brown, Marc Chagall, John Piper and Keith Tyson.
 |  | The new galleries. Courtesy of the Cuming Museum. |
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There are nearly 700 objects in the Cuming collection and it seems a good number of these are out on public view. Display cases themed by country are packed full of interesting artefacts whilst even more can be discovered amongst the various pull out cabinet drawers. It was amazing to find out that the Cuming family never actually travelled. Despite this, their collection spans Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Americas. Indeed, the museum proudly claims that almost every country in Africa is represented by objects in the collection.
Notably there is an impressive collection of items from Ancient Egypt, a highlight being a gold painted mummy mask from 400-300BC. Other fascinating objects include a fabulous Hawaiian feather cape that was collected on one of Captain Cook's voyages and a 200 year old stuffed European bear – at present the bear is nameless but the museum is currently welcoming any suggestions you may have!
Woodland Cree dolls. Courtesy of the Cuming Museum. | |  |
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It also has two beautiful Woodland Cree dolls from 1700-1800. Interestingly, the wooden dolls were actually produced in England in about 1700 but their clothes were made much later, in Canada, by the Woodland Cree women. There is also a Woodland Cree costume in the museum, just one of the many costumes that the museum makes available for children to try on.
The design of this gallery is suggestive of the era in which the objects were collected, but it is combined with a very unstuffy and welcoming modern feel. The museum encourages the visitor to not only learn about the objects on display but also about the people who collected them.
 | | A child tries on the Woodland Cree costume. Courtesy of the Cuming Museum. |
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Henry Syer Cuming was quite a character who went out of his way to purposely collect and expose fakes. He seems to have caused quite a controversy when he went on to reject the objects of William ‘Billy’ Smith and Charles ‘Charley’ Easton as ‘worthless.’ In fact, it was not until some time later, when Billy and Charley’s forgery moulds were stolen, that the pair were exposed and Henry was proved right! As well as personal stories of the family, a central display also shows how the Cuming family lived amongst these objects and made them part of their home.
The second permanent exhibition in the museum is equally fascinating and tells the history of Southwark. It focuses on three themes: settling here, a place to visit and world connections. As one of London’s historic boroughs, the gallery explains how Southwark has been connected to different parts of the world as early as AD45 through trade, war, immigration and/or migration. The exhibition also showcases the many different communities who have made Southwark their home.
Courtesy of the Cuming Museum. | |  |
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For example, young Somalis on the Rockingham estate worked with the museum to produce a book on objects which reflect their culture and identity both as Somalis and as young people living in London. Images and words highlight their love of football, enjoyment of both British and Somali food and faith as Muslims.
There is a really great picture of a view from one London home with the description, ‘I like the way you can see different types of buildings… I like London and I miss it when I’m away. I miss my friends. But it is good to travel to other places too – I like Dubai and Somalia.’ In this part of the gallery, Irish, Asian, and Latin American communities are similarly represented and also well worth exploring.
More details about the museum can be found on the Southwark website or you can visit the collection online at www.southwarkcollections.org.uk
