Guide To The London Canal Museum

A Brief History of the London Canal Museum

The history of the London Canal Museum dates back to its opening in 1992, aiming to preserve the legacy of London’s canals. Housed in a former ice warehouse built between 1862 and 1863, the Museum’s building has a history of its own. Today, the Museum stands as the only one of its kind in London dedicated to the city’s inland waterways.

The Building: A Victorian Ice Warehouse

The London Canal Museum is located in a building with great historical significance. Originally constructed for famous ice cream maker Carlo Gatti, it was used to store ice imported from Norway via ship and canal barge. It still has two well-preserved ice wells beneath its foundation.

One of the wells is open to the public, providing a unique opportunity to see the vast underground storage facilities that were vital for the ice trade in the 19th century.

Exhibitions and Attractions

The centrepiece of the Museum is the butty Coronis. With its reconstructed authentic narrowboat cabin into which visitors can go to marvel at the cramped conditions in which a family of six might have lived.

There are displays of canal art and Measham pottery, renowned for its beauty and strong association with the canals and their workers.

The story of London’s canals, the people who worked and lived on the boats, and the horses that pulled their boats is told. There is an archive film of a 1924 journey through London on the Regent’s Canal.

The 1949 “Pusher” tug Bantam IV is moored outside, where there is also room for short-term moorings for visitors arriving by boat.

Carlo Gatti and the Ice Trade

One of the main displays at the London Canal Museum highlights the history of Carlo Gatti, an ice cream maker, and the thriving ice trade in the 19th century. Visitors can explore the transportation methods, difficulties endured by the ice industry, and innovative solutions used to preserve and store ice.

Museum Details

The museum is spread over two floors, and there is a wharf outside where you can view the tug Bantam IV. Most visitors take between one and two hours to visit. The museum does not have a cafe although there are plenty nearby. Drinks and Ice Creams are available in the museum’s shop.

The Museum has a programme of evening talks on waterway-related topics and other special events throughout the year. There is a museum shop selling a range of canal-related souvenirs and a good choice of books on waterway themes.

The Regent’s Canal: A Vital Waterway

The Regent’s Canal was an important transport route in London’s history, enabling the movement of goods and people across the city. The London Canal Museum displays the canal’s rich history, engineering feats, and influence on the city’s growth.

Additionally, the charming Battlebridge Basin, which can be accessed from the back of the Museum, provides a chance to appreciate the canal’s scenic beauty and the surrounding environment.

The canal towpaths are ideal if you’d like to take a stroll. Heading west, you’ll reach the bustling Camden Market with its enormous range of quirky stalls. Further still is Little Venice and Regents Park, which is home to London Zoo. Heading east, you’ll reach Canary Warf, home to the London Docklands Museum.

You can also experience the canal from the water itself. You can hire a self drive day hire boat or go on a skippered boat trip. Or why not enjoy a weekend, mid week or week break on a hire boat on the Grand Union and Regents Canal