Film Event: The Cinema Museum, London
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The Cinema Museum had been on my list of places to visit for a while and, with my best friend staying with me in London, it seemed the perfect opportunity to finally see one of the city's best kept secrets. Located just a short walk from Elephant and Castle train station, here's a glimpse inside a cinephile's paradise...
When I first truly fell in love with film, it was for the history and spectacle behind it. I've always been fascinated by the stories of cinema-goers turning round to watch the projector in amazement, and that movie images of a train coming in to a station would cause people to jump out of their seats, believing it would hit them. To this day, no matter how much I learn about film and film history, it baffles me how it has evolved from hand-painted single frames, the likes of special effects from Georges Méliès, to the CGI we are accustomed to today. And so you can imagine why the Cinema Museum would be top of my list of places to visit.
Situated inside a former Victorian workhouse (once home to a young Charlie Chaplin), the Cinema Museum showcases the largest collection of cinema memorabilia in the country. Featuring signs and posters, architectural fittings and original projectors, the charity has been collecting pieces from old movie theatres for over twenty years. As well as featuring more than one million vintage photographs, it also has a substantial collection of hand-painted promotional posters, usher uniforms and, of course, an archive of films and reels.
Visits to the Cinema Museum are currently by prearranged appointments only as they require a volunteer tour guide. At first, I was little put off by this as the introvert inside me finds it a bit awkward. However, having now been, I can honestly say that the tour really adds to the experience. Lucky for myself and Vanessa, it was a quiet Friday afternoon and so we were treated to a private tour for just us two; meaning we could ask any questions and spend as much time as we wanted flicking through boxes and looking at props. Starting in the downstairs lobby, we made our way through the corridors and up to the main hall which is often used for private screenings, events and filming. We finished up our tour with a screening of four short films taken from the museum's personal archive - showcasing projection and London through the decades.
Steeped in nostalgic value, the Cinema Museum is well worth the visit for hard-core film fans. I absolutely loved walking round and looking at the old ticket stubs, the posters and other weird and wonderful pieces of memorabilia. Whilst it is certainly unlike any museum I have ever visited, I loved how unique the building was - even if it wasn't exactly what I expected it to be.
I'm so glad that places like this exist. Following the mysterious closure of the London Film Museum, I'm finding that there are less and less places which celebrate film history in such a way. Luckily, this particular museum now has charitable status but since they rely on funding from visitors, it's definitely worth a visit and spreading the word to help it gain support. They also host a number of film events and screenings so keep an eye out for their calendar.
Tickets for the Cinema Museum are available on the day and priced at £10 for adults or £7 for concessions/children and include a 90 minute guided tour. For more details about visiting, you can see their website. But tell me, have you been to the Cinema Museum? What are some of your favourite hidden gems to visit? As always, I love reading your comments so please do leave me lots of lovely ones down below.
Until next time film fans,
