The Museum of Croydon tells the story of Croydon from 1800 to the present day. Over 250 objects are beautifully displayed and interpreted through the voices of local people.
Originally opened in 1995 as Lifetimes, the galleries were completely re-developed with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund between 2004 and 2006. The new galleries were designed by architects FAT and re-opened in September 2006. They won the FX International Interior Design Awards: Best museum & gallery, 2007.
The Museum of Croydon (formerly Croydon Lifetimes Museum) is a museum located inside the Croydon Clocktower arts facility. It is in Central Croydon, London Borough of Croydon, England. The museum is stated to be a lifetime museum, which showcases historical and stylish artefacts which were derived from the borough. The Museum is part of Croydon Council.
The museum opened on the second floor of the Croydon Clocktower in 2006 and entrance to the galleries is free. Many of the exhibitions at the museum are hands on.
The Museum of Croydon has a varying range of different aspects of the history of Croydon and the surrounding areas. It incorporates the Riesco Gallery with a collection of Chinese pottery and ceramics, and exhibits about the important black composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912) who lived most of his life in Croydon.
The museum even includes things that the local IKEA in Purley Way sold when it first opened, such as furniture and the well-known catalogues.
It also contains rare artefacts from the local football club, Crystal Palace, such as Peter Taylor’s contract.
They also have exhibitions for young people to voice and direct their opinion, so many other people can come and see their work.
In December 2009, the Museum was awarded official recognition by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council – showing that the museum management of its collections had met national standards, as well as the facilities that it provides for visitors. In December 2013, the Museum was stripped of its accreditation and excluded from reapplying for five years, following the sale at auction of a portion of its Chinese collection in what was described as a “deliberate contravention” of the “Museums Association’s code of ethics”
