New Cross Fire Foundation

The new London Museum in Smithfield is due to open in 2026 and it will feature several permanent galleries focussed on the history of London. More information about the museum can be found here: London Museum | Smithfield | Opens 2026 | London Museum

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London Museum intends to reflect the 1981 New Cross Fire and the Black People’s Day of Action within the part  of the permanent galleries which will look at London in recent history.

 

The museum has commissioned the New Cross Fire Foundation (NCFF) to support this work and assist it with selecting a suitable image to represent the 1981 New Cross Fire. An image to represent the Black People’s Day of Action has already been sourced and agreed, but it is felt that a separate image is required to represent the New Cross Fire as an important event itself in the history of London.

 

The NCFF has selected seven images, agreed with London Museum, that can be seen to represent the 1981 New Cross Fire. We are now undertaking a consultation to help inform the final selection process and decision on which image to use.

 

Unlike the Black People's Day of Action, there are relatively few images relating specifically to the New Cross Fire that are suitable for display in this London Museum gallery context. The seven images we have selected reflect those limitations.

 

PLEASE NOTE: when you click the link below to take part in the consultation you will be taken to a page containing historical images relating to the 1981 New Cross Fire. Some people may find these images upsetting, distressing, or triggering and we would ask you to take this into consideration before visiting the page.

 

It is not our intention to cause upset or distress through this process, but we recognise that these images may impact people in those ways. Should that be the case, you can access support services here. 

 

The consultation process is open until: midnight on 27 July 2025.

 

The consultation data will then be collated and used to inform the final selection process and decision on which image to use. Once this has been agreed and finalised with London Museum, the outcome of the process will be shared here.

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Thank you for contributing to this vital consultation process to inform an important and long-lasting decision about how the 1981 New Cross Fire is represented to public audiences visiting London Museum.