Museum of Brands
- Architecture and design enthusiasts
- Social history enthusiasts
- Families with children
What Visitors Say
The Museum of Brands was a decent and surprisingly nostalgic little stop while exploring the Notting Hill area. There’s a huge collection of vintage packaging, advertisements, toys, and everyday products from different decades, so there’s always something interesting to look at as you walk through. What makes it enjoyable is seeing how branding and design have evolved over time — you end up recognising random products and packaging styles you didn’t expect to remember. It’s not a massive museum, but there’s enough variety to keep it engaging throughout the visit. I’d say it works best as a short side trip rather than a main destination. If you’re already heading toward Notting Hill or Portobello Road Market, it’s an easy and worthwhile stop that adds a little extra to the day without taking up too much time. Around 30 minutes to an hour is probably perfect. Overall, a pleasant and unique museum experience with plenty to casually browse through.
What a quirky museum! (My favorite kind) Do not be fooled; this museum has an outstanding collection of memorabilia and items from the Victorian era to the 1970’s. I particularly enjoyed their special Thunderbirds exhibit, featuring memorabilia from the TV puppet show that I remember fondly. As an American, I realized that it was much more popular in the UK than the States, but we did have it here for a while. The staff were so helpful and welcoming too. This is a kid-friendly space with a small cafe and a lovely outdoor garden. Don’t miss it!
Such a fun little museum for anyone who likes looking at old stuff! I went two years ago and remember it like it was yesterday! The staff were friendly and gave us some more information about the museum. In the back there is a little garden where you can enjoy a drink or just hang out. Very nice atmosphere and cute shop! Would definitely recommend!
I visited the Museum of Brands, primarily to see the Thunderbirds exhibition. It was a nostalgic journey back to my childhood to see the exhibits from Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Stingray, Fireball XL5 and much more. A truly magnificent collection of toys and memorabilia. After that I went to the Time Tunnel permanent exhibition which features items from each decade from Victorian times to the present day. Again the number of exhibits was amazing, with items which denoted each time period. The Museum is well worth a visit and once you buy a ticket you can return as many times as you like for one year for free!
Had a very nice time visiting the museum. The staff at reception were very nice. The museum isn't big but if you read the informations and check out the displays not rushing it takes spmetime, which is very good. They have the displays nicely organised, nostalgic, taking you back in time. It's nice to see how household items and food companies looked like in the past and how old some of these companies are. The amount of board games that were around in the past is astonishing. Some of the board games especially from war times are...interesting, let's put it that way. The way how technology evolved is impressing. You will get an insight into the world of packaging from Victorian era through to the present day, not just packaging but also everyday items that we can all relate to from tins and bottles to sweets to toys, TVs and record players and everything else that comes with it. It's a worthy place to visit with friends, family and kids. There's a little souvenir shop next to te reception. The cafe offers snacks, food and nice warm drinks. The closest tube station is Ladbroke Grove, 2 minutes walk around the corner.
Highlights
Time Tunnel
Decades at walking speedShelf by shelf you watch typography, materials and mascots evolve—and values with them.
Main circuit
Wartime Shelves
Design under rationingPlain wrappers, thrift tips, recycled tins—packaging learns austerity.
1940s section
Colour Boom
Printing tech meets pop cultureFluoro inks, swinging mascots and supermarket aisles as theatres of persuasion.
1960s–70s run
Green & Clean
Eco claims and ‘healthy’ halosCompostable packs, ‘plant-based’ badges—virtue goes mainstream on the shelf.
2000s–today
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
Founder Robert Opie began the collection at 16 with a saved sweet wrapper—one teenager’s keepsake became a national archive of everyday design.
The museum’s ‘Time Tunnel’ layout makes advertising history legible without a lecture—you feel inflation, new materials and social change just by walking.
Original wartime packs show how brands adapted—less ink, fewer metals, smaller sizes—decisions driven by government controls and supply shocks.