A fascinating new display celebrating over 200 years of Royal-inspired packaging and Jubilee
souvenirs will open at the Museum of Brands in London’s Notting Hill on 21 May 2022. The
display will feature products and brands that show how UK consumer culture and Royal history
has changed since the Victorian era.
Highlights will include:
● A new display shining a spotlight on some of the weird and wonderful objects that have
been designed to commemorate members of the Royal Family and royal events from the
past – from a rare 1830s gin flask celebrating Queen Victoria, to a 120-year-old chocolate
bar commemorating the coronation of King Edward VII, to a set of the recent ‘Platinum
Jubbly’ crockery – one of 10,000 souvenir items produced in China with a classic Del
Boy misspelling of Jubilee.
● Kids go free from June 2 to June 6
● Free discovery trails
● Free activities for families and schools
● Lunchtime and evening talks
Alongside the visual displays, families can get involved by making their own Jubilee-themed
bunting and crown, and enjoy two new Jubilee trails for children and adults which call attention
to some of the captivating Royal objects of the Museum’s collection.
‘Please Touch’, our free object handling sessions will take place over the Jubilee weekend from
Thursday 2 to Monday 6 June. Visitors will have the chance to handle and explore objects from
the 1953 coronation and the 1977 Silver Jubilee. Kids go free on the Jubilee bank holiday
weekend and adult tickets last a whole year.
Schools can also get involved by using the Museum’s bespoke project packs to design their own
limited edition Jubilee packaging and enter their creations into a competition. The winner will be
announced in July and receive a free workshop for their class at the Museum.
Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne in 1952 and her 70-year reign has seen tremendous
change. When she came to the throne the USSR remained under the iron grip of Stalin and the
death penalty still existed. The space race had not yet begun, and only 14% of households owned
a television set – with only one channel – the BBC. Identity cards were compulsory and tea
rationing, which was introduced during World War Two, was still in place.
However, like the Queen, many things introduced in 1952 have endured. The much-loved hand
puppet Sooty and children’s television favourite The Flower Pot Men burst onto our television
screens, whilst Surf and Daz detergents hit the increasingly popular supermarket shelves. Agatha
Christie’s The Mousetrap started its run at the New Ambassadors Theatre* in London, roll-on
deodorant was invented and the world's first jet airliner took to our skies with a maiden flight
from London to Johannesburg.
The Museum is open daily and is the only one of its kind in the world, celebrating our past
through our throwaway heritage with displays of hundreds of products full of memory and
meaning. Together they offer us a fascinating insight into how our lives and society have evolved
since Victorian times – from the changing role of women to the impact of war and technology;
from the passing of the domestic servant to the evolving choice of food and toys, as well as the
revolution in shopping habits over the last 200 years.
Kids go free on the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend and adult admission tickets allow unlimited
daytime entry for a whole year and cost £9 for adults / £7 concessions.
The Museum of Brands is open from 10:00 to 18:00 Monday to Saturday and 11:00 to 17:00 on
Sundays and Bank Holidays. The Museum is located a short walk from Ladbroke Grove tube
station at 111-117 Lancaster Road, W11 1QT.
www.museumofbrands.com. The Museum can be contacted by email at
info@museumofbrands.com or by telephone at 020 7243 9611.
