Exhibitions at Islington Museum

Permanent display

Islington Museum's permanent display includes objects and stories from Islington’s local history, from prehistory to today. Most of our collection is from the 1700s onwards.

Current exhibition

Animals! A beastly history of human behaviour 

Over the 19th century, industrialisation, scientific advancements, and shifting demographics transformed England. Islington, once a rural town on London’s edge, expanded rapidly as economic migrants seeking industrial jobs increased its population by 3,000% between 1801 and 1901. Green spaces and many traditional agricultural jobs disappeared as the borough developed. 

For animals, these changes were equally significant. In the early 1800s, animals provided entertainment, labour, and products, and many believed they existed solely for human use. Across the century, attitudes changed dramatically. By the early 1900s, animal abuse was widely condemned, and animals were recognised as having value beyond profit. This exhibition explores that transformation through Islington’s wild, working, and domestic animals, tracing how England transformed from the "hell of all animals" to a leader in animal welfare. 

Free admission.

50 years of Cycle Islington

Cycle Islington are celebrating 50 years of fighting for pedal power in the borough.

Their advocacy has included fixes for unsafe road conditions, new and improved infrastructure and better accessibility for cyclists of all abilities.

We tell their story through a new temporary exhibition open from now until mid-autumn 2026.

Activities and events

See upcoming exhibition activities and events on Eventbrite.

Contact us

For information about our current temporary exhibitions:

• email islington.museum@islington.gov.uk
• call 020 7527 2837