Museum of Homelessness announces May opening date

How to Survive the Apocalypse will the theme of the Museum of Homelessness's first permanent home, which will open on 24 May in north London.

The unveiling of the new museum in a gatekeeper’s cottage in Finsbury Park coincides with the 10th anniversary of the organisation, which is run by people with direct experience of homelessness.

A statement from the museum said that the immersive experience that will be offered to visitors “draws on the museum’s frontline action over the course of a decade that has included record levels of homelessness, widening inequality, Brexit, a climate emergency, a pandemic and a series of ongoing social and political crises”.

Museum director Jess Turtle said: “People who have been through a lot already – our community – are often the best people to respond in an emergency. The museum’s community-driven work in the last 10 years has shown this over and over again.

“The answers don’t lie in parliament, they lie here, with us, the people who come up with solutions on the ground and work together to get things done. It is this aspect of our culture that we want to share with our audience in How to Survive the Apocalypse and we can’t wait to welcome people into our world.”

The team moved onto the museum’s new site in October 2023 and it has been tightly guarded, with access restricted to the museum’s community of people experiencing homelessness.

A statement from the organisation said: “The community is ready to open the doors of the world’s first Museum of Homelessness to the wider public and this inaugural season has been carefully designed to add something special to London’s cultural offerings.

“This will be a chance to learn from and listen to people with the skills and aptitude to deal with the collapses we are seeing. How to Survive the Apocalypse is about reframing the myths and stereotypes of homelessness and showing that the answers to some of our most pressing problems can often be found with the people at the sharp end of society.”

The How to Survive the Apocalypse show is underpinned by the following basic principles:

1. Visitors should expect a break from the traditional museum experience. The new site is in a small gatekeeper’s cottage in London’s iconic Finsbury Park. "We can accommodate 25 people a time, so expect a lively, conversational encounter which is about connection and solidarity," said Turtle.
2. Visitors should not expect to see labels. Through an approach that looks to smash the traditional model of glass cases and guarded access, the museum insteads presents objects through a tour that includes performance, poetry, object handling, chats, and much more. 
3. And finally, visitors should "expect to have a better chance of surviving the apocalypse after a glimpse into our world", said Turtle. "We can offer no guarantees, but in the words of one of the guides to our show: 'Our solidarity is our most potent weapon.'"

The museum’s first open season will run from 24 May to 30 November.

How to Survive the Apocalypse will usually run two days per week - Fridays and Saturdays - with three shows a day.

The full programme and ticketing information will be announced later in the spring.

MoH’s work is supported by Oak Foundation, The Linbury Trust, Historic England, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Arts Council England, Sarah Jane Leigh Charitable Trust, People’s Postcode Lottery, Rede, CSDS Foundation, and many generous individuals.

This project has been made possible by Haringey Council, the landowner for the Finsbury Park site.