In autumn 2024, renovation work began on the Grade II-listed Canning Town Old Library. This historic building is set to reopen in 2026 as the borough’s new Heritage Centre, housing Newham’s archive and museum collection alongside a dynamic programme of activities.
In collaboration with Stirling Prize-winning architects, Haworth Tompkins, Newham Council will bring this much-loved building back into community use. The new Heritage Centre will feature a range of facilities, including state-of-the-art archive storage, a reading room, exhibition space, digital suite, learning space, and a new café.
Funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund is enabling a programme of engagement activities for all ages across the borough. This includes the Heritage Centre Roadshow, a programme of pop-up activities touring 25 community venues and organisations across Newham, gathering ideas and feedback to plan exhibitions, programming, and activities for the new centre.
Young people remain central to our plans, and we are working with students from NewVIc College to develop branding ideas. Alongside this, a new panel for young people aged 18–24, living, working, and studying in Newham, has been established, and we are partnering with Eastlea Community School to explore local history and creativity.
While building works continue, we are leading crucial activities to conserve, catalogue, and digitise the archive and museum collection – transforming long-term access and preparing for their eventual move to the Heritage Centre next year.
Get Involved
We’re keen to understand which stories and themes should be shared, and what events and activities you would like to see take place in the new Heritage Centre.
Help us to shape the Heritage Centre’s future by completing this form by Friday, 16 May.
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