The London Transport Museum Acton Depot, basically its big warehouse where it stores stuff that doesn’t fit in the Coven Garden museum, has announced its first opening days for 2023.
Between 24 and 26 March, London Transport Museum is hosting its first Depot Open Days event of 2023, throwing open the doors of its working Museum store in Acton Town for the public to explore.
Normally closed to visitors, Depot Open Days are special themed events throughout the year that offer the public the chance to explore the Museum Depot’s vast collection of over 320,000 historical objects not on display in the Covent Garden Museum, while enjoying a lively program of activities.
At the ‘Electric Journeys’ Depot Open Days event, visitors will discover how electricity has shaped London and its transport system through the ages – from the early days of electric travel to the oyster card revolution and visions of London’s electric future.
Visitors can learn about electric pioneers and advancements in London’s transport story through fascinating curator-led talks, explore the influence of the electric revolution on art and design on a tour of the Depot’s mesmerizing poster store, admire impressive electric vehicles from London’s past and present, or get creative in the Family Play Zone and code an electric toy train.
Over the weekend, visitors can:
- Delve into the ways electricity has shaped life in the capital through talks that explore everything from the expansion of the London Underground network to art and design, station architecture and sustainability.
- See a fully electric, zero emissions Abellio operated Wrightbus Electroliner bus on display, and climb aboard it to chat with representatives from Abellio about their electric bus fleet!
- Have a go at being a train driver in a Victoria Line driving cab and learn how the trains on the world’s first automatic railway work.
- Join tours of the Depot’s poster store – housing over 5000 different designs – to see how electricity influenced the design of transport posters through the ages.
- Get stuck into craft activities in the Family Zone – create an LED light up poster and learn how to code an electric toy train! Suitable for children aged 7+.
- Go for a ride on the London Transport Miniature Railway (tickets sold separately on the day).
- View the largest collection of London transport signage in the world, which includes samples spanning over 150 years, with examples of different font prototypes, layouts and design styles on display.
- Visit the original 1930s District Line Q stock train cars and check out the progress being made on this current restoration project.
- Shop for exclusive gifts and souvenirs – from moquette pattern socks, scarves and cushions, to framed posters, limited-edition prints and authentic Underground signs.
- Enjoy a delicious, hot meal from local food vendors, Auntie Bonnie’s Jerk Pit, or grab a hot drink and a sweet treat from the Mini Bean Coffee mobile bar.
Visit ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/depot/depot-open-days-electric-journeys closer to the event date for the full programme of activities.
The ‘Electric Journeys’ Depot Open Days event is part of London Transport Museum’s Climate Crossroads program, sponsored by ABM and Sopra Steria. Launched to shine a light on sustainability and transport, and to inspire the Museum’s visitors to take action toward a greener future for London, the program includes family holidays activities, thought leadership debates for business leaders and policy makers and skills and employability support for young people.
The ‘Electric Journeys’ Depot Open Days event takes place on 24-26 March 2023. Adult tickets costs £15 and £7.50 for children. Children aged 3 and under go free.
Concessions are available including local resident tickets for residents of Ealing, Hounslow or Hillingdon.
Timed tickets must be booked in advance online at ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/depot-open-days.
Author: Jonathan Thomas
Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.