KILBURN MUSEUM LAB//SUMMER PROGRAMME 2025 ︎︎︎
KML 2025/1
Reimagining the Museum: Kilburn Museum Lab // Summer 2025 Programme
We are pleased to announce that Kilburn Museum Lab (KML) is returning for summer 2025 with an ambitious nomadic programme spanning two venues:
🗓 3 June – 13 July at Camden Local Studies and Archive Centre
🗓 14 July – September at Swiss Cottage Library, in collaboration with Museopathy.
KML is an experimental, community-curated initiative led by Dr. Francesca Murialdo (Middlesex University) in partnership with PAPRIKA Collective and Camden Libraries, with support from the British Academy SHAPE Involve and Engage Award.
KML is a provocation, It challenges traditional museological frameworks by placing curation in the hands of local residents, students, and collaborators. What emerges is a living laboratory of memory, where heritage is continuously questioned, activated, and shared.
From the outset in 2023, KML has focused on Kilburn’s layered histories—working-class life, migration, activism, music, and everyday resistance—through a growing archive of 3D scanned objects, oral histories, student-designed installations, and artist interventions. As always, visitors are invited not only to view but to contribute: by sharing stories, 3d scan meaningful objects that will become part of the collection, shaping what a “museum” can be.
📍 At Camden Archives, the exhibition includes:
• A new film by Anna Bowman Kilburn in 10 Books
• A digital collection of 3D scanned objects and the opportunity to add your own object
• Artefacts and community interviews from the Kilburn Museum Lab catalogue
• Talks and performances on 3 June at the opening event from Tudor Allen (from Camden Camden Local Studies and Archive Centre), Francesca Murialdo (Middlesex University), Ada Hao (Paprika Collective), AJ Kumble (One Kilburn), Anna Bowman (One Kilburn), Stevon the Well Wisher and more.
• Ideas for future spaces designed by our amazing students designers
🎯 At Swiss Cottage Library later this summer, KML joins Museipathy, expanding the conversation on collective memory, wellbeing, and the role of libraries and archives as civic spaces.
For full details: https://www.instagram.com/kilburnmlab
Open to all but booking essential by clicking 👉 here
To purchase the exhibition catalogue,click here:
KILBURN MUSEUM LAB//OPENING ︎︎︎
DOC 234—34/2
︎ 2024-06-22
︎ The Tin Tabernacle, Kilburn
︎ The Tin Tabernacle, Kilburn
On June 22nd, The Tin Tabernacle in Kilburn became a our very temporaru ‘museum’ - a celebration of the Kilburn Community with Kilburn Museum Lab (KML) project. This event, the culmination of nearly a year’s worth of collaborative effort, showcased the diverse narratives and creative expressions emerging from Kilburn’s vibrant community.
The day was a vibrant showcase of the project's extensive work over the past nine months, funded by Middlesex University and The British Academy. Visitors explored a wide range of exhibits including 3D-printed historical objects, photographs, art pieces, and personal stories collected from local residents. These exhibits provided a window into Kilburn’s evolving identity and history.
A highlight of the event was the unveiling of "The Kilburn Tapestries," created by visual artists Helen Delaney and Brenda Aherne. These remarkable pieces illustrated the impact of the Irish community in the Borough of Brent and Kilburn, highlighting their significant influence on London’s music and arts scene.
An immersive installation titled "Indentiscentory" by Jr-Yun Lin, an artist and designer-in-residence, engaged visitors through a unique olfactory experience inspired by Kilburn’s sensory landscape. This installation aimed to evoke memories and stories through scent, adding a multi-sensory dimension to the event.
The event also featured an array of student projects from the BA Interior Architecture program at Middlesex University. The students developed and designed "The Nomadic Museum," a concept intended to be adaptable and mobile, reflecting the evolving nature of the Kilburn Museum Lab. Their designs and ideas were informed by extensive collaboration with community members and were presented as part of the exhibition.
The day also included performances by local talent, including a song written and performed by Stevon The Well Wisher, and a performance by the Kilburn State of Mind Choir, adding a musical touch to the celebration.
The Kilburn Museum Lab is not only a physical space but an evolving project that thrives on community interaction and participation. The event also featured a dedicated space called "The Future," inviting visitors to contribute ideas and wishes for the project’s ongoing development and the future of Kilburn.
In addition to the physical exhibits, the Kilburn Museum Lab has produced a comprehensive catalogue documenting the research and knowledge exchanged throughout the project. This catalogue, supported by Middlesex University and The British Academy, reflects the project's commitment to preserving and sharing Kilburn’s diverse stories and experiences.
The event and the catalogue collectively represent the Kilburn Museum Lab’s mission to engage and empower the community, ensuring that Kilburn’s cultural heritage is celebrated and preserved for future generations.
The day was a vibrant showcase of the project's extensive work over the past nine months, funded by Middlesex University and The British Academy. Visitors explored a wide range of exhibits including 3D-printed historical objects, photographs, art pieces, and personal stories collected from local residents. These exhibits provided a window into Kilburn’s evolving identity and history.
A highlight of the event was the unveiling of "The Kilburn Tapestries," created by visual artists Helen Delaney and Brenda Aherne. These remarkable pieces illustrated the impact of the Irish community in the Borough of Brent and Kilburn, highlighting their significant influence on London’s music and arts scene.
An immersive installation titled "Indentiscentory" by Jr-Yun Lin, an artist and designer-in-residence, engaged visitors through a unique olfactory experience inspired by Kilburn’s sensory landscape. This installation aimed to evoke memories and stories through scent, adding a multi-sensory dimension to the event.
The event also featured an array of student projects from the BA Interior Architecture program at Middlesex University. The students developed and designed "The Nomadic Museum," a concept intended to be adaptable and mobile, reflecting the evolving nature of the Kilburn Museum Lab. Their designs and ideas were informed by extensive collaboration with community members and were presented as part of the exhibition.
The day also included performances by local talent, including a song written and performed by Stevon The Well Wisher, and a performance by the Kilburn State of Mind Choir, adding a musical touch to the celebration.
The Kilburn Museum Lab is not only a physical space but an evolving project that thrives on community interaction and participation. The event also featured a dedicated space called "The Future," inviting visitors to contribute ideas and wishes for the project’s ongoing development and the future of Kilburn.
In addition to the physical exhibits, the Kilburn Museum Lab has produced a comprehensive catalogue documenting the research and knowledge exchanged throughout the project. This catalogue, supported by Middlesex University and The British Academy, reflects the project's commitment to preserving and sharing Kilburn’s diverse stories and experiences.
The event and the catalogue collectively represent the Kilburn Museum Lab’s mission to engage and empower the community, ensuring that Kilburn’s cultural heritage is celebrated and preserved for future generations.
