Hackney Museum
- Local history enthusiasts
- Social history enthusiasts
- Families with children
What Visitors Say
If you want to know more about Hackney, its people and its history, this is a place to visit (and it's free). Lots of useful information and items on display, it will tell you a lot about this area of London.
Small museum as a part of the Hackney community centre but definitely worth seeing, particularly to follow the development of Hackney over the past centuries as well as the social changes. It's free of charge and gives a better understanding of this area of London.
I have visited this museum quite a few times, library on first floor. This museum is really good and my children always love it. You can buy gifts from the shop and greeting cards. Has good history About Hackney. Customer service excellent and place is really clean.
Free entry museum with tons of history & information about Hackney. A lovely staff greeted me when I entered, and she told me there is an photography exhibition going on, the exhibition tell us stories about Hackney from 1970 till modern day by using different photography. Besides that, toilet is very clean too!
Hackney Museum is a small museum in the Hackney area of London focusing on local history of the area. Considering the history of Hackney, a lot of the exhibits focus on the influx of people over the centuries and decades. The story starts with the Roman period, but the story rapidly shifts to the last 200 hundred years with a particular focus on immigrants and by extension the poorer members of society. There's also a small exhibition room which is currently dedicated to "black" music. Truly amazing to see some old school equipment. A real gem of a museum.
Highlights
Hackney Stories
Snapshots of the borough’s social history—migration, work, activism, sport.Ordinary objects, extraordinary journeys.
Core gallery
Family Play & Interactives
Keeps a wide age range (baby–12) engaged while adults read.Dress-up, touchables, and simple tasks.
Lower cases/child-height zones
Changing Displays
Photography and community projects refresh repeat visits.Hackney 1970s to now through local lenses.
Temporary exhibition area
Fun Facts
Located within the library building—combine with a library visit/café stop.
Exhibits feel slightly early-2000s in style to some, but staff experience is consistently praised.
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