London’s first pop-up firefighting museum set to open in Lambeth

London's first free pop-up fire brigade museum is set to open this autumn at an iconic site in Lambeth.

Alongside modern day fire engines, visitors will have a rare opportunity to see our video and photographic archives, highlighting the history of Lambeth and its very own historic building, 8 Albert Embankment.

The Brigade's museum, regularly described as one of London's 'hidden gems', had been located on Southwark Bridge Road since 1966, until its doors closed for the last time in September 2015 following the sale of the site.

Among the museum's artefacts currently in storage for safekeeping are over 400 firefighter tunics and trousers, around 350 helmets and vintage fire engines.

The museum will be housed in the old workshop space behind Lambeth Fire Station.

Alongside the museum, the old workshop space will be open for all to enjoy with further pop-ups and events, to be announced in the coming months.

Jane Rugg, the museum's curator, said: "The temporary museum comes at an important time in the Brigade's history, as it celebrates 150 years of its existence.

"It's very exciting that the museum now faces a more certain future and will have both a temporary and permanent home at Albert Embankment.

"We are hoping the pop-up museum will particularly appeal to local people in Lambeth, who will be able to find out all about the history of the fire service in the area.

"Prior to 1966, the museum was based at 8 Albert Embankment so it's as if the museum is returning home."

The museum and pop-up space is the first phase in the wider mixed-use regeneration of 8 Albert Embankment, a Public Private Partnership project between the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and property and regeneration developer U+I.

Lambeth councillors approved the change of use planning application for the temporary space last week so the Brigade and its partner U+I can start work shortly.