London mayor Sadiq Khan has been asked by the London Assembly to give more support to Lewisham’s Migration Museum, which is trying to raise £20 million to help it move to its new home in the City.
The museum has been based in Lewisham Shopping Centre since 2020, but with the mall earmarked for redevelopment, it is due to move in 2027 to three floors of a new 21-storey block near Aldgate.
Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia, a refugee-turned-property developer, agreed to give the museum the space at 65 Crutched Friars rent-free for 60 years.
The museum, which “explores how the movement of people to and from the UK across the ages has shaped who we are”, is trying to raise £20m to fit out the building and boost its digital infrastructure.
In a motion proposed by Liberal Democrat assembly member Hina Bokhari last week, the mayor was asked to “discuss and explore public funding options for the Migration Museum including the London Good Growth Fund and Crowdfund London”.
Bokhari told an assembly meeting last Thursday: “Migration needs to be celebrated. After the riots in the summer and the divisive rhetoric and dehumanising of immigrants and asylum seekers, we really need to have some positivity back now – welcoming people from around the world to this amazing city.”
Her motion also called on the mayor’s culture deputy, Justine Simons, “to meet the Migration Museum in order to discuss their needs, and share expertise”.
Bokhari added: “London needs a focal point for current and future generations to learn and understand the many individual stories that make our fantastic city.
“The Migration Museum has already achieved so much in educating students… With the mayor and the deputy mayor’s support, we can ensure that the museum is sustainable, effective, and continue its award-winning work.”
The motion received near-unanimous support, with City Hall’s Labour, Conservative and Green groups all joining the Lib Dems in voting for it. Only Alex Wilson, the assembly’s solitary Reform UK member, voted against.
A spokesman for Khan said: “The mayor is pleased that the Migration Museum has found a permanent home at the heart of London. City Hall has worked closely with the museum over the past eight years and will continue to do so.
“Sadiq is proud to champion the capital’s many world-class museums and continues to work with institutions across the city to build a better London for everyone.”
Noah Vickers is the Local Democracy Reporter for City Hall, based at the London Standard. Additional reporting by Darryl Chamberlain.
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