Kavita Puri writes in BBC History Magazine about the Migration Museum’s journey to date, our future plans for a Permanent Home in the City of London and the role we can play.

You might think museums are in the business of collecting objects. Or maybe telling stories. But what if their most radical function—especially in a divided society—is to give people power?

That’s exactly what the Migration Museum in London is trying to do. And it turns out, when you hand over control of decision-making, exhibitions, and even values to the community… you get better museums.

By providing £0.5 million in funding over the next three years, the Portal Trust will help the Migration Museum establish Britain’s first permanent museum dedicated to exploring how migration has shaped who we are – as individuals, communities and nations.

Aditi Anand shows us around the Migration Museum in London exploring how migrants to London from around the world remember their origins through food.

The Migration Museum and its partnership with Dominus on its permanent home was cited as an example of how social impact is becoming valued over profit in a small but growing number of leases. 

On International Women’s Day The Voice celebrated the extraordinary life of Tina Aparicio, a pioneering midwife, dedicated mentor, and trailblazer in the NHS, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday and who featured in our Heart of the Nation exhibition.

The Migration Museum featured on BBC London as part of a feature on the changing face of London and its long history of immigration 

Despite a world-class museum sector and a complex history of migration, Britain does not have a permanent museum exploring the movement of people to and from these shores. Mona Jamil of the Migration Museum is working to rectify that. 

Download the PDF version of the article here.

The Migration Museum featured as part of a showcase of 23 community spaces in Lewisham by Isaac Rangaswami, who also runs the Caffs not Cafés Instagram account.

Anna Lewis, the Migration Museum’s Development Consultant, speaks to Advisor with an update on its plans, as well as a look back at the Museums + Heritage Awards win.

A 5-star review for our All Our Stories exhibition, which the Londonist’s Art Critic Tabish Khan selected as one of the biggest exhibitions to see in London this winter.

Aditi Anand, Artistic Director at the Migration Museum, featured in an Archive on 4 documentary exploring how the sea has shaped the British Isles.

Deputy Mayor praises project addressing hate through stories of inclusion (see p7)

Angela Hui, guest curator of the Chinese Takeaway installation in our All Our Stories exhibition, appeared on Start the Week on BBC Radio 4 talking about the future of the High Street, her Takeaway installation and the Migration Museum

Sunder Katwala: ‘I was reflecting on Britain and America in giving the Migration Museum’s annual lecture last week, exploring how the history of migration might influence the future.’

Sunder Katwala: ‘I was reflecting on the story of Ellis Island in giving the Migration Museum’s annual lecture last week. The Migration Museum describes itself as ‘Britain’s missing museum’, since there is no permanent, dedicated museum on the topic in this country. It is currently engaging public audiences in its latest temporary home in Lewisham shopping centre, on its own journey to a landmark permanent home in the City from 2027.’

Sadiq Khan has been asked by the London Assembly to give more support to the capital’s Migration Museum, which is trying to raise £20m as it moves into a new, permanent location.

The London Assembly has called on the mayor and deputy mayor for culture and creative industries to explore public funding options for the Migration Museum, which plans to move to a new permanent location in the city of London.

“It was a surreal experience,” Hui said of installing the work, which she describes as “a love letter” to Chinese takeaways. “I would never have thought to see my story in a museum. I just wanted to document the almost thankless job of working in an immigrant-owned hospitality business.” These beloved local restaurants in rural white areas are “often people’s introduction to a different cuisine, the building blocks for their palates to explore new things,” Hui added. Yet, “we don’t often get to see them as having any cultural importance.”

Over the years the museum has become entwined with Lewisham’s community, incorporating schools, youth groups, organisations and locals into its work and offering a space for residents to meet and spend their time. The Migration Museum will move to Square Mile in 2027, but before then, its South London base has some exciting events left up its sleeve.