Museum of Homelessness
Museum of Homelessness, founded in 2015, is a registered charity and the world's first museum dedicated to homelessness. It carries out independent investigations, runs artistic events and exhibitions, and directly supports the community year-round with essentials like socks, sleeping bags, therapy and hot meals. Fittingly, the organisation operated without a home for most of it’s first decade but in 2023 a permanent physical location was secured, enabling it to conduct greater outreach to the community and, like all good museums, provide an engaging and informative experience for visitors.
Generally speaking, its mission skews more towards education and political activism over outreach although the venue closes to the public in the winter months so that it can convert into an emergency shelter. The current exhibition, staged unironically almost entirely outdoors and yet ironically only open 3 days a week, is titled “Criminal: An Untold History of Homelessness, Resistance and Survival”. It presents some fascinating and frequently sad tales of how and why individuals and specific demographics in the UK became homeless, but the main focus isn’t woe. The show relentlessly exposes the various ways in which successive UK governments have historically chosen to provide support: via criminalisation.
If you get to the end of the show without getting angry at the way the government treats homelessness then you clearly weren’t reading. And though things are very, very slowly getting better the show makes it clear that “sympathy” (yes, I made those air quotes with my fingers) is about as far as most UK governments have been willing to go in their efforts to tackle the issue. By the end of the show I felt just as concerned and helpless as I do when I pass someone sleeping rough on the streets, but at least here there are plenty of friendly staff and volunteers on hand to discuss the challenges with you, and possibly even inspire you into activism.
Inside the museum you’ll discover the Resistance Toolbox, showcasing examples of initiatives conducted over the years to support the homeless. Tables and chairs and plenty of materials are provided so that you can sit down and put your ideas on paper. Or make a ‘zine. Or just have a chat. It’s an inspiring community room, but the venue acknowledges that there are no easy answers. Dialogue and compassion are encouraged. You can also donate, of course.
If you are lucky with good weather you might find yourself spending more time outside the MoH than you would a normal museum thanks to the lovely garden that contains some quirky amusements along with a surplus of colourful outdoor benches and a refreshment stand. There’s also a chess set and hammock. It truly is a calming and serene place for both casual visitors and those who arrive needing outreach and support.
Museum of Homelessness was founded by people with lived experience of homelessness and that shows throughout every aspect of the museum’s offerings. You could learn a lot from the current exhibition but it never feels preachy and there are so many warm and welcoming moments both inside and out that I walked away knowing that anyone who visits, whether out of curiosity or necessity, will be in good hands.
Plan your visit
Museum of Homelessness is located at The Manor House Lodge, Seven Sisters Road, N4 2DE — Located just inside Finsbury Park by Manor House Gate next to Manor House Underground Station.
‘Criminal: An Untold History of Homelessness, Resistance and Survival’ runs until 31 October 2026.
FREE
Open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 12.30 - 4.30pm. No need to book just show up.
Visit museumofhomelessness.org and follow @our_moh on Instagram for more info about the venue.
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