London Museum will open its new home at the historic General Market in West Smithfield on November 28, 2026, transforming subterranean brick vaults and tunnels into an immersive journey through 450,000 years of London’s history.
Designed by German exhibition studio ATELIER BRÜCKNER, the 2,500-square-metre permanent exhibition, Past Time, occupies the former Salt Store beneath the market. Rather than concealing the site’s original architecture, the designers have incorporated its historic brickwork, vaults and tunnels into the visitor experience, connecting London’s past with the contemporary city.
“As the world’s largest city museum, the London Museum is being reimagined as a dynamic social and cultural hub,” says Shirin Frangoul-Brückner, Managing Director at ATELIER BRÜCKNER. “With our exhibition design for Past Time, we create an experience that connects London’s history with the historic architecture, the city of today and, above all, its people.”
The project offers an example of adaptive reuse, giving existing urban infrastructure a new cultural purpose rather than building an entirely new structure. Preserving and repurposing historic buildings can also reduce demand for new construction materials, although no specific environmental performance figures have been released for the museum.
The wider architectural team includes Stanton Williams, Asif Khan and Julian Harrap Architects, with lighting by Speirs Major Light Architecture.
ATELIER BRÜCKNER’s international portfolio also includes the Museum of the Future in Dubai and the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
The new galleries open November 28, offering visitors a chance to explore London’s history beneath the streets of the city itself.
