London Transport Museum in Covent Garden has been named Visitor Attraction of the Year at the London Tourism Awards at an award ceremony hosted at the Guildhall on Thursday 10 March 2022.
Hosted by London & Partners, the London Tourism Awards recognise and celebrate businesses from across the Capital that deliver amazing experiences for visitors and champion innovation in the face of challenging times. The accolade of Visitor Attraction of the Year celebrates London Transport Museum’s dedication to creating a memorable day out for its guests through its collection, exhibitions and events.
At the awards ceremony the judges said they were impressed by how London Transport Museum ‘tackles a fascinating and multi-faceted subject with gusto and style, and presents a huge variety of exhibits, large and small, in a way that engages the attention of a wide variety of visitors.’ They continued, ‘the story of public transport is the story of London’s history over the last couple of centuries and is central to its development in the coming decades; London Transport Museum celebrates this story and the people behind it.’
To prepare for the post-lockdown return of its visitors in May 2021, London Transport Museum put significant covid-safety measures in place, developed new programming and carried out upgrades to its venue.
New content and collection objects were also displayed for the first time, including the new London 2030 gallery. Developed with postgraduate students from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, this gallery offers glimpse into what environmental and technological change could mean for people living in the Capital a decade from now. A gold-painted AEC RT type bus usually housed at the Museum’s Depot in Acton Town was displayed in the Museum’s Covent Garden galleries for the public to see, and London’s first LGBT+ rainbow crossing was installed after being collected by the Museum to preserve the role transport plays in the Capital today.
In February 2022 the Museum opened its newest exhibition, Legacies: London Transport’s Caribbean Workforce. Celebrating the contribution Caribbean people have made to transport in London and British culture, this exhibition explores the struggles and triumphs many of these individuals and their families experienced as they moved from the Caribbean to the UK to help keep London’s transport network running. Stories include memories from first, second and third generation Caribbean people who worked for London Transport (LT) or still work for Transport for London (TfL).
Talking about being named Visitor Attraction of the Year, Sam Mullins OBE, London Transport Museum’s Director said:
‘We reopened post-lockdown more determined than ever to bounce back as one of the Capital’s top destinations for a great day out. Being named Visitor Attraction of the Year is a huge testament to the hard work of our team to make this a reality for our guests. In the face of the lockdowns and changing restrictions, we upgraded our galleries and introduced new programming to create engaging and relevant experiences for visitors returning to our Museum in Covent Garden and Depot in Acton Town, all whilst ensuring they felt welcome, reassured and safe.’
Tickets to visit London Transport Museum can be booked in advance online. Kids go free and adult tickets cost £18.50 and include free return daytime entry for a whole year.
London Transport Museum’s Front of House Team has also been shortlisted for the Visitor Welcome Award at this year’s Museum + Heritage Awards.
