Migration Museum

Happy International Nurses Day 💙🩺✨ Explore living history in our online exhibition. For 78 years, people from all over the world have helped build and sustain the NHS @nhsenglandldn — a story often overlooked. Heart of the Nation: Migration and the Making of the NHS shares these stories through photography, film, and oral histories. 📸 Pictured here: Kui Eng (Doris) Lau. In 1966, Doris traveled from Sarawak, Malaysia, to train at Lewisham Hospital. As one of 12 children, nursing was her "passport" to explore the world. The NHS’s story is one of many journeys — and you can explore it all from your screen. Discover our Heart of the Nation digital exhibition and hear from people from all over the world who built and sustain the NHS. Are you a healthcare worker with a migration story you want to share? You can now become part of our collection of 10K+ story discs by visiting our pop-up at @rcnlibraries Moved to Care exhibition. 🔗 More details in our link in bio. #NHSstories #NHSheroes #MigrationMuseum #Migrants #FlorenceNightingale Further image credits: 📸 Precious Joy James (2022) © Christian Sinibaldi 📸 Zeny Santos 📸 Ethel Corduff (1970) 📸 Gulzar Waljee in front of the Royal Surrey County Hospital (1959) 📸 Clarice Reid in uniform © Evewright 📸 Hoh Min Leong (Leon Hoh) (1975) courtesy Stories of Leon Hoh and Doris Lau are courtesy of Ingat Ingat. ( @ingat_ingat_exhibition )

Know a young Londoner with big ideas? Tag them below! 👇 We're looking for 10 passionate young people to join our Young People’s Panel, helping to shape our events programming and the way we work with young people in our new museum. Do you know a young person who lives, works, studies or is part of a club in Tower Hamlets, the City of London or Lewisham? If so, send this to them! The gig: 🔎 Learn how to plan events at one of the most exciting museums in the UK 🤝 Co-develop our manifesto for working with young people 🏛️ Stage an inspiring event for young people This paid opportunity runs July 2026 – October 2026. 📅Deadline: 14 June 2026 (11.59pm) 📍Location: London Swipe for more details and visit the link in our bio to view the full recruitment pack. 📸 Nowhere to Go but Anywhere Art Installation by Tribambuka (@tribambuka ). Photo: Umberto Rozzo

How do you fit a museum into a suitcase? 🧳 This was the almost impossible brief that we set in our designer call out last September. Come behind the scenes at @the_workshop_foundation_ with our selected designers Joana and James (@interestingprojects_ltd ), as they share some of their top tips on making it happen. Swipe through for their insights on exhibition design & creative fabrication 🛠️ From their favourite softwares for ideation (@procreate ) and 3D modelling (@vectorworks ) to building rigid measuring habits and the importance of having the right team on board. We might not have all the answers to fitting a whole museum into a suitcase (yet!), but we do know how to tell stories. This suitcase is our travelling invitation to you — a chance to explore our work and add your own migration story to our collection of 10,000+ voices. But for now, keep an eye out as we document the build and get ready for the tour, starting with City, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Southwark. What’s the one thing you’d like to see on the road with us? Tell us in the comments! This project wouldn’t be possible without @citybridgefoundation .

Beyond the blossoms and the bank holiday, today marks a day for workers’ rights. 🌸✊🏽 International Labour Day (also known as May Day) is celebrated across the world. In the UK, this bank holiday was introduced in 1978 as a workers' holiday. This was the culmination of over a century of campaigning for workers' rights involving millions of people – including many migrants. Here are some of their stories: ✨Jayaben Desai was an Indian-born activist who in 1976 led a walk-out of largely female migrant workers at their factory in London. The strike followed the unfair dismissal of a colleague and lasted for two-years. Jayaben’s actions are seen as pivotal in paving the way for a more inclusive trade union movement and improving worker’s rights. ✨Part of the Windrush Generation, Bill Morris was born in Jamaica and came to the UK in 1954. After securing work as a bus conductor, he joined the Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU), eventually becoming its leader, and the first Black leader of a major British trade union. Bill helped to make the TGWU one of the most progressive unions thanks to his emphasis on the rights of all workers, particularly the marginalised. ✨Born in Prussia in modern-day Germany, Karl Marx arrived in London in 1849 as a political refugee. Living much of his life in poverty in Soho, he spent decades in the Reading Room of the British Museum researching the Industrial Revolution. His writings became the foundation for the labour movement worldwide. ✨In 1888, 14-year-old Mary Driscoll led 1,400 women in the Match Girls’ Strike after a colleague was unfairly dismissed following an exposé by social activist Annie Besant. Both women were born in London to Irish parents (with Annie later emigrating to India in 1893). The strike was a success with all demands met – a momentous victory for workers’ and women’s rights. Images: Grunwick strike, 1977. Homer Sykes. Alamy Official portrait of Lord Morris of Handsworth. © House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris Karl Marx, 1866. Unknown photographer. Match girls' strike, 19th century. Smith Archive. Alamy Annie Besant, an autobiography 1888. Source: London School of Economics

Today, the news headlines here in the UK are dominated by stories of immigration. But for most of this country’s history, more people have left than arrived. Between 1815 and 1914, approximately ten million people emigrated from Britain. And while some left in search of a new start or a better life, for others, including the 180 women on the Rajah ship which sailed to Australia in 1841, the reality of emigration was exile. The youngest convict on board was 13-year-old Rose Ford; the oldest was Agnes Doherty, aged 60. Many of these women were exiled for petty crimes like stealing a sheet. Rising crime rates and overcrowded prisons led the British government to begin a policy of transporting people convicted of crimes to its colonies in Australia and Tasmania. This practice didn’t just export Britain’s social problems; it was a tool for expanding the Empire. In total, more than 160,000 convicts were transported into this forced emigration. The voyage of the Rajah is noteworthy because of the quilt crafted by the convict women during the voyage. Now housed in the National Gallery of Australia (@nationalgalleryaus ), it is believed to be the only quilt produced on board a convict ship to have survived. Artist Becky-Dee Trevenen (@beckydeetrevenen ) explores this uprooting in her installation Pieced. Have a listen and find out more in her artist spotlight on our website—link in bio. 🔗✨ Research: Dr. Dianne Snowden AM & Trudy Cowley, as published in Patchwork Prisoners: The Rajah Quilt and the Women Who Made It (2013). Data Source: Amy J. Lloyd, “Emigration, Immigration and Migration in Nineteenth-Century Britain” via British Library Newspapers.Detroit: Gale, 2007. 📸 Video: @felixursell

Who gets remembered… and who gets erased? 🔍 The chaotic, loud, and vibrant Rag Fair may be gone, but the stories of the migrant women who ran it are still woven into the fabric of the East End. 🧵 Join us this May as we walk the steps of the women who shaped London — from civil rights activists to internationally famous performers, a Moroccan seamstress and an African American author. Walk with us: ✨ Sat 9 May, 1:30pm – 3:30 ✨ Wed 20 May, 6pm–8pm 📍 Meet: 35 Vine St, EC3N 2PX (outside Senzo Cafe) 🏁 End: Near Brick Lane 💰 Tickets: Pay what you can Limited spots available — tap the link in our bio to book your place via Eventbrite! 🎫 Image Credit: Yale Center for British Art. Video features Anika, one of our tour leaders

A year on from closing our doors in Lewisham, here's what's we've been up to as we build our permanent home: 🏗️ The Big Build We celebrated our topping out ceremony — a massive milestone as the physical structure of our new home finally rises in the City of London! 🏆 Award-Winners We were honoured to win the Visitor Welcome Award at the @museumsandheritage Awards. We were also shortlisted for the Best Visitor Experience Award at the @culturalenterprises Awards! 👥 The People’s Panel We’ve convened a panel of 50+ community-minded individuals to ensure our future is co-created. Want to find out more? Check our link in bio! 🧱 Investing in the Future We welcomed @portal_trust as a major donor. Their generous £500,000 gift will create a brand-new education suite in our new home, including the Portal Trust Education Room, where 20,000 learners a year can explore the stories that shape us. 🔍 Building a Dispersed Migration Collection for the UK Our researcher Lucy has been uniting migration stories from museums and archives across the UK. Big thanks to @bristolmuseums , @leicestermuseums , @nationalarchivesuk , @nationalmuseumsliverpool , @londonarchives , @museumofcardiff , and @northeastmuseums for joining forces, and @heritagefunduk for supporting this vision. 🤝 The Power of Partnerships We don't have a front door yet, but we’ve been popping up everywhere! From events with friends at @royalmuseumsgreenwich , @wearelondonmuseum , @museumofliverpool , @stpaulscathedrallondon , and @ltmuseum and @thealbanyse8 , to packed-out conversations at the Guildhall with @esdevlin , @sathnamsanghera , and @davidolusoga . Come with us. We’re starting our most exciting chapter yet – and we need you by our side. See link in bio for more and how you can get involved. Image Credits: Topping out ceremony, Mike O’Dwyer Museums and Heritage Awards, Hayley Bray Being Human Festival, Being Human Fierce Queens, Queen's House Greenwich People's Panel, Elzbieta Piekacz

Current status: Out of office and into the fields. With the sun finally making a guest appearance across much of the UK, we’re celebrating the season of renewal with picks from our #MigrantMakersMarket. 💌 Hey I’m Sakina (@heyimsakina ) Never Enough Flowers...This illustration is a celebration of femininity and growth. Sakina Saïdi is a French-Moroccan artist who uses her voice to weave together stories made of memories and a deep desire for a better world. 🌸 Kam Creates (@kamcreates ) The Flower Power Earrings! Kam creates is founded by Kam, a British-Filipino-Pakistani artist who translates the “vibrancy and freedom” of her multicultural upbringing and global travels into magical, wearable designs. 🍓 BeeHype (@beehype_honey ) The UK’s first raw honey preserve, featuring real strawberries dipped in pure acacia honey. Founded by Stela and Mo, who turned memories of 90s hyperinflation and political turmoil in Bulgaria into an award-winning business that supports small, ethical beekeepers from their home country. 🍊 Elizabeth Rachael (@elizabethrachael ) The Blood Orange Art Print. Born in Birmingham and shaped by her Barbadian and Irish heritage, Elizabeth blends 13 years of textile expertise into mood-boosting art that celebrates heritage, colour and craftsmanship. Wild Chai (@wildchaiuk ) 🍵 Bringing South Asian tradition and Ayurvedic wellness to London through chai. Founded by sisters Jasmine & Alicia, they traded India’s warm sun and fragrant chai for opportunity, arriving in the UK in the 1960s. 🪻 Zaitoun by Yasmin Khan (@yasminkhanstories ) A dazzling celebration of Palestinian cuisine that’s as much a travelogue as a cookbook. Channel your inner chef with 80 recipes, including plenty of fresh, spring-ready vegetarian options! Whether you’re brightening up your home or bringing new flavours to the table, every gift from our shop directly supports the storytellers and makers in our community. ☀️ Shop the Spring Collection via the link in our bio.

What will we find...? From the first ice cream parlour in Bristol (1925), their West Indian Cricket Club (1963) to the legendary Cary Grant [see image 6] and games of Gran Turismo, @bristolmuseums didn’t disappoint. We headed to M Shed with History Curator Lee Hutchinson to explore the Bristol Life gallery — a space dedicated to how people connect, work together, choose to live there or leave. It’s all about the lived experience, from the momentous to the everyday. One object that we were really keen to see in person was 🤠 Reuben St Claire’s Trilby hat [see image 8] . Reuben’s father, Joseph, is believed to have been a stowaway from Barbados. He built a life as a dentist on Bristol Bridge and married Mabel Stallard in 1913. Reuben ran Westbury Upholstery with his brothers. During the Second World War, he became the first Black officer in the Home Guard*. The hat is a simple object, but passed down through generations, it becomes a priceless artefact of memory. Reuben St Claire is only one of many people whose migration story forms part of museum collections across the UK. Follow along as we unite dispersed stories of migration; travelling to museums, digging into archives, and uncovering objects that hold migration stories. This journey would not be possible without @heritagefunduk . We are grateful for their support. *Home Guard was an unpaid armed citizen militia supporting the ‘Home Forces’ of the British Army during the Second World War. Currently on display at M Shed, Bristol Life Gallery 🤠 Trilby hat belonging to Reuben St Claire 🏏 The Bristol West Indian Cricket Club (BWICC), founded in 1963 🏠 ‘Do you do things the same as your parents?’ display 🎬 Cutout of Figure of Cary Grant (sculpture) by Graham Ibbeson: Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives 🎮 Gran Turismo oil painting by Megan J Davies

Have you added your migration story to our collection? ✍️✨ We recently joined @rcnlibraries for the launch of Moved to Care — a new exhibition exploring how migration has been at the heart of nursing for over a century. Our Story Disc installation is part of the exhibition, acting as a living archive for the personal journeys that have shaped our healthcare system, our communities, and the UK. Swipe through to read some of the stories shared by visitors to the exhibition so far... These new voices join our collection of over 10,000 personal stories gathered over the last decade. Every disc you share with us helps us document a more complete picture of the UK’s migration history and heritage. If you’re in London, come by Cavendish Square (5 mins walk from Oxford Circus) to see the exhibition and add your own voice to the archive. You don’t have to be a nurse to participate — every story of movement and heritage helps us tell this broader story. 📍 Where to find us: Royal College of Nursing, 20 Cavendish Square, W1G 0RN. Entry is free. 🔗 Link in bio for more details on the exhibition and how to visit. #MovedtoCare

“At a very young age, I was about 14, I started to think about my future in a very serious way, that usually maybe children wouldn’t be thinking about.” Mariam Hussein (@mariamhusseinart ) is a mixed media and tattoo artist based in Lewisham. Born in Saudi Arabia to Syrian parents, Mariam moved to the UK in 2010 for her education. Shortly after, Syria went into conflict and Mariam began the long journey of seeking a new home and navigating the British citizenship process. In Lo Lo Lo Leesh (2024), Mariam highlights the balance between navigating complex citizenship paperwork and finding a sense of home through Syrian cinema. Visually inspired by a scene in the Syrian drama series Taj (2024), the rich colours, collage, textured mediums, energetic lines and swirls explore themes of feminism, intercultural dialogue, self-expression and connection – or barriers – to culture and heritage. The title of this piece references the sound of the ‘Zalghouta’ — often collectively performed by women in times of celebration. The work is overlaid with copies of Mariam’s Syrian passport, Leave to Remain and citizenship applications Through her art, Mariam invites us to move beyond simply hearing migration stories to truly feeling them. We are proud to partner with @muslimheritagemonth and @muslimwomensnetworkuk to share Mariam’s journey. Her creativity offers a vital window into the diverse voices and perspectives that shape our communities. ✨ Watch the full spotlight in our link in bio. Art & Story: @mariamhusseinart Video: @felixursell #muslim #artist #heritage

A museum only exists through the stories it holds. To make sure ours belongs to everyone, we’re building it with the people who live them🏛️✨ After an incredible response of over 300 applications, we’ve officially assembled a panel of 50 brilliant, community-minded individuals. 📍 Connecting our homes: Our members bring lived experience and connections from our new home borough of the City of London, our neighbouring borough Tower Hamlets, and our previous home borough of Lewisham. They’ll act as our “critical friends” to ensure the museum truly reflects the people it serves. “Embedding community voices into the permanent museum from the very beginning is essential. We want to foster inclusion, belonging and connection.” — Mona Jamil, Head of Civic Engagement. How they’ll be shaping our future: 📝 Migration Stories: Training members to document and preserve community histories for our collection 📝 Events: Co-producing a vibrant new public programme and developing our events strategy 📝 Permanent Home: Shaping our spatial design, food and drink offer and developing our visitor experience strategy 🔗Head over to our link in bio to learn more and meet the panel. Special thanks to our generous funder, City Bridge Foundation (@citybridgefoundation ), for their continued support of the People’s Panel. Photos: A selection of People’s Panel Portraits, Elzbieta Piekacz