Exhibitions

Rewind: This is Croydon’s Music

A new exhibition uncovering the borough’s rich music history, as part of This is Croydon, London Borough of Culture 2023.

Open to all and free entry.

Rewind: This is Croydon’s Music is a new exhibition that looks to unveil the rich history of music within the borough of Croydon and will launch at the Museum of Croydon on 8 February and open to the public on 9 February. Building on Croydon’s Music Heritage Trail from last summer, the exhibition celebrates the incredible music heritage of the borough through fascinating objects, images and stories collected within the local music community.
Croydon has been the home of new music from almost every genre including punk, folk, choral, reggae, Indian classical, rock, grime and more. The exhibition includes photography, oral histories and objects from iconic artists spanning the eras - from the eminent Samuel Coleridge Taylor to Captain Sensible of The Damned, from dubstep idols Skream and Benga to international reggae star Desmond Dekker, and from Croydon’s much-loved singer the late Kirsty MacColl to ground-breaking rap and hip-hop artist Nadia Rose and many more!
To run alongside the exhibition, a varied series of events will take place at the Museum of Croydon and across the borough, including creative commissions, concerts and music events.
(Image courtesy of Glenn Foster Photography)
Open every Tue, Wed, Fri & Sat
11:00am - 5:00pm
Croydon Clocktower, Level 1
Katharine Street, Croydon, CR9 1ET

An art exhibit celebrating the music and career of Mad Professor, as part of This is Croydon, London Borough of Culture 2023.

Open to all and free entry.

Immerse yourself in a mini exhibition that chronicles the rich career of reggae and dub maestro, Mad Professor, and Ariwa Sounds, through original artwork and cover art illustrations. The exhibition will display many of the artist's iconic series, from Dub Me Crazy to Black Liberation, showcasing a journeyed illustration of Mad Professor's ever-evolving approach to dub, lovers rock, and roots reggae.
Wednesdays & Fridays
12th June 2024 - 7th Feb 2025,
11:00am - 4:00pm
Museum Exhibition Gallery, Ground floor.
Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, Croydon, CR9 1ETgoes here

Come and experience the secret life of some of the borough’s most extraordinary buildings.

Open to all and free entry.

The buildings of Croydon hold many secrets. Over the centuries the town has held countless different identities, as it has grown and changed with the times. From a Saxon Minster to medieval almshouses, grand Victorian town hall to 1920s airport, mid-century office buildings and a brutalist library, we see its history all around us. But who are the holders of their secrets? Commissioned by Croydon Council as part of this year’s Open House Festival, Croydon Unlocked allows us to experience the secret life of some of the borough’s most extraordinary buildings, as seen by the people who know them best: the key holders, caretakers, cleaners and concierges. These are people who see these places as we never do: silent and empty after the day has passed, or as they prepare it for the next. Artist and photographer Rachel Adams has developed a new body of work celebrating the borough’s iconic architecture and the people who look after these buildings. The images feature the fabric of local buildings and portraits of their keepers. Croydon Unlocked was inspired by Adams’ 2020 project, Life is Brutalist, which focus on Southampton’s acclaimed Lyons Israel Ellis housing block Wyndham Court.
Monday - Saturday
9.00am - 6.00pm (9am - 5pm on Sat)
Clocktower Atrium, Level 0,
Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, Croydon, CR9 1ET

In addition to temporary exhibitions, the museum has a permanent gallery; the Riesco Gallery.

For more information on the collections and what we have on display click here.