|
10 museums launch partnership to celebrate opening of the London Overground East London Line
CultureLine will create new cultural connections in the capital
Africa’s largest mask, George Washington’s false teeth, a marine iguana from Darwin’s expedition to the Galapagos Islands, the purse of the suffragette who threw herself under King George V’s horse and the oldest tunnel in the London metro system: these are just examples of the myriad treasures waiting to be discovered along CultureLine, launched on, Friday 21 May.
- 10 museums with thousands of treasures connected by one line
- A cultural treasure trail from Dalston Junction to West Croydon
- Travel from the Geffrye Museum (Hoxton station) to the Horniman Museum (Forest Hill station) in less than 30 minutes
Africa’s largest mask, George Washington’s false teeth, a marine iguana from Darwin’s expedition to the Galapagos Islands, the purse of the suffragette who threw herself under King George V’s horse and the oldest tunnel in the London metro system: these are just examples of the myriad treasures waiting to be discovered along CultureLine, launched on, Friday 21 May.
CultureLine is a group of 10 museums and galleries which can be found along the length of the new London Overground East London Line, which officially opens this Sunday, 23 May. The line runs from Dalston in North-East London to New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon in the South-East. CultureLine museums are (North to South on the line):
- Hackney Museum
- Geffrye Museum
- Wesley’s Chapel
- The Royal London Hospital Museum
- Whitechapel Gallery
- The Women’s Library
- Brunel Museum
- Horniman Museum
- Crystal Palace Museum
- Museum of Croydon
CultureLine attractions, which are all within walking distance of stations along the line, range from the family-friendly exhibitions and gardens of the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill to elegant English domestic interiors at the Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch, a celebration of local people at the Museum of Croydon and an international programme of contemporary and 20th century art at the Whitechapel Gallery. Housed in beautiful historic buildings, many with impressive gardens, these museums offer an exciting alternative to central London hotspots and a chance to discover a different side of the capital.
David Dewing, Director of the Geffrye Museum, comments: “The new Overground line is here at last! After years in the planning and talking phases it was wonderful to watch it being built, and now it’s open and operating smoothly it seems like a miracle! Hoxton station is right outside the Geffrye Museum and we are already noticing visitors using the new service. We anticipate a significant increase in numbers coming to the museum as a result of the new line and we have no doubt it will have a massive impact on the economy of this part of east London.”
Janet Vitmayer, Chief Executive of the Horniman Museum, adds: “We’re delighted that the CultureLine has linked us to so many of our fellow cultural venues such as the Geffrye Museum and the Whitechapel Gallery. The CultureLine has created a corridor of exciting destinations that will be a real draw for visitors and which offers huge scope for many diverse itineraries that will appeal to a wide range of people. It will now be very easy to spend the morning at the Whitechapel followed by an afternoon at the Horniman. The line has opened up 10 fantastic venues to new communities and we look forward to welcoming many new visitors as Londoners and tourists take the opportunity to hop on and off the CultureLine.”
Munira Mirza, Advisor to the Mayor of London on arts and culture, says of the CultureLine: “London has more museums and galleries than anywhere else in the world, with treasures to be found all across the capital. The new London Overground Line will make it much easier for Londoners and visitors to discover the hidden cultural gems of east London - what great timing as we approach 2012! There is so much to see and do here - zoology, medicine, domestic interiors, the suffragettes, engineering. Well done to the 10 museums for coming together in this way and using this new transport route to promote their wares. I'm sure it will drive new tourists to this part of the city.”
CultureLine is funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Council through the Renaissance programme.
A brief synopsis on each museum can be found overleaf. For further information on the CultureLine and its museums, visit: www.cultureline.org.uk.
For more information please contact:
Katy MacMillan-Scott or Anya Matthews at Colman Getty
Tel: 020 7631 2666
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
/
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Out of hours: 07786567887
Colman Getty
May 2010
Hackney Museum
Access from: Dalston Junction station
Discover the world on your doorstep
Geffrye Museum
Access from: Hoxton station
Go through the keyhole and see inside the English home across the centuries
Wesley’s Chapel
Access from: Shoreditch High Street station
Discover the origins of the worldwide Methodist movement and a hidden Georgian gem in the heart of the City
The Royal London Hospital Museum
Access from: Whitechapel station
A compelling history of medicine, health and nursing in London’s East End
Whitechapel Gallery
Access from: Whitechapel station
A world-class contemporary art gallery in the heart of London’s East End
The Women’s Library
Access from: Whitechapel station
Documenting and celebrating women's lives in the bustling heart of East London
Brunel Museum
Access from: Rotherhithe station
Step back in time to the heyday of Victorian engineering on the banks of the River Thames
Horniman Museum
Access from: Forest Hill station
A treasure house of historical, archaeological and zoological artefacts set in 16 acres of beautiful gardens
Crystal Palace Museum
Access from: Crystal Palace station
London’s last surviving link with the great 19th century Crystal Palace
Museum of Croydon
Access from: West Croydon station
Think you know Croydon? Discover Croydon’s hidden history, through the objects and stories of local people
Notes to editors:
- Images and further information are available through Colman Getty
- Spokespeople for CultureLine are: Janet Vitmayer, Director of the Horniman Museum and David Dewing, Director and Christine Lalumia, Deputy Director, of the Geffrye Museum. To arrange an interview, please contact Colman Getty
- The 10 CultureLine museums and their respective East London Line stations are:
- Hackney Museum - Dalston Junction Station
- Geffrye Museum – Hoxton Station
- Wesley’s Chapel - Shoreditch High Street Station
- The Royal London Hospital Museum – Whitechapel Station
- Whitechapel Gallery – Whitechapel Station
- The Women’s Library – Whitechapel Station
- Brunel Museum - Rotherhithe Station
- Horniman Museum - Forest Hill Station
- Crystal Palace Museum - Crystal Palace Station
- Museum of Croydon - West Croydon Station
The Estorick Art Gallery will become the eleventh museum to join CultureLine in 2011, when the East London Line reaches Highbury & Islington
- CultureLine is funded by the London Museums Hub. The London Museums Hub is one of nine regional Hubs tasked with developing innovative and accessible museum services in their regions. Funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), the London Museums Hub invests in and supports the 230 or so non-national museums in the London region.
The London Museums Hub is led by a partnership of some of the region’s flagship museums; the Museum of London, Geffrye Museum, Horniman Museum and London Transport Museum.
Renaissance London is a partnership of four museum services working closely with the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council to deliver the Renaissance in the Regions programme of investment in England's regional museums.
Renaissance London works to invest in and transform the 250 or so non-national museums in London. This is done through providing a comprehensive service to schools, supporting a range of projects designed to demonstrate how museum collections are vital in communities, improving the regions collections and expanding the diversity of collections. Renaissance London is also engaged in building and engaging new audiences and is leading on London’s Stories of the World project, which is part of the Cultural Olympiad for London 2012.
www.mla.gov.uk/renaissancelondon
www.untoldlondon.org.uk
www.20thcenturylondon.org.uk
- Transport for London: London Overground’s new East London route
- The new route is a crucial part of the London Overground orbital network and in London’s overall integrated transport infrastructure
- The route will provide a turn up and go, metro-style service of up to 12 trains an hour to parts of London traditionally poorly served by rail services
- The new section of London Overground will bring a much-needed alternative mode of north-south transport to eastern London
- The new East London route is part of the London Overground network and run from Dalston Junction in the north to New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon in the south. By next Spring it will connect in the north with the existing London Overground network at Highbury &Islington
- The northern section of London Overground’s new East London route is already open and has brought four new stations to Hackney – Dalston Junction, Haggerston, Hoxton and Shoreditch High Street - putting the borough firmly on the Tube map
- It is predicted that in 2011, 33m people will use the new route (approx 100,000 per day) and demand is forecast to increase to 40m in 2016 (approx 120,000 per day). The former East London Tube line, prior to its closure, carried approximately 9m passengers every year (approx 30,000 per day)
- Examples of journey times on the new line are Dalston Junction to West Croydon - 47 minutes; to Crystal Palace - 37 minutes. Shoreditch High Street station to Brockley – 16 minutes; Honor Oak – 19 mins; Forest Hill – 22 minutes; Sydenham – 24 minutes
- The stations on the line are, North to South:
- Dalston, Hackney
- Haggerston, Hackney
- Hoxton, Hackney
- Shoreditch High Street, Hackney
- Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets
- Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
- Wapping, Tower Hamlets
- Rotherhithe, Southwark
- Canada Water, Southwark
- Surrey Quays, Southwark
- New Cross, Lewisham
- New Cross Gate, Lewisham
- Brockley, Lewisham
- Honor Oak Park, Lewisham
- Forest Hill, Lewisham
- Sydenham, Lewisham
- Crystal Palace, Bromley
- Penge West, Bromley
- Anerley, Bromley
- Norwood Junction, Croydon
- West Croydon, Croydon
|
