London stories
Explore the stories of the world's greatest city and uncover the hidden treasures of our collections.
All stories
London’s folk customs & traditions
The capital’s cultural calendar is a rainbow of obscure customs, traditions, rituals and ceremonies
Ken Livingstone: GLC leader & London’s first mayor
Dubbed “Red Ken” in the 1980s, Livingstone became London’s first directly elected mayor in 2000
London buses: Red, iconic, double-decked
You wait for ages, then all you need to know about London bus history comes along at once
The Monument to the Great Fire of London
A permanent, towering reminder of the 1666 disaster
What was the Cheapside Cross?
A monument to a queen – and a point of religious conflict
Lundenwic: The other medieval London
When Roman London was abandoned, a new settlement sprang up beyond the walls
Where did King Henry VIII live in London?
When it came to splendid palaces, this Tudor king was spoiled for choice
London’s whaling trade: Blubber & baleen
Whether sporting a corset or reading by lamplight, Londoners once relied on the products of whaling
The many lives of Sadler’s Wells
This north London dance centre has seen many highs and lows over the past 300 years
How the Peasants’ Revolt rocked medieval London
In the summer of 1381, a popular rebellion led by Wat Tyler threatened to topple the ruling elite
How wartime bombsites became adventure playgrounds
Reclaiming the wreckage for play and imagination
London’s fashion designers
Vivienne Westwood, Mary Quant and the many other talents that make London a fashion capital
London's Black history
Explore the stories of Black Londoners – African Romans, the Windrush Generation and modern trailblazers
Gustave Doré’s London pilgrimage
The artist’s gloomy illustrations recall his 19th-century trips through the poverty-stricken city
How Cleopatra’s Needle came to London
An ancient Egyptian obelisk – on the banks of the River Thames
