The answer first

London Museum at Smithfield is scheduled to open on 28 November 2026. The free permanent galleries in the Victorian General Market are planned for that date. The adjacent Poultry Market, with temporary exhibitions and learning space, is scheduled for 2028. For a late-2026 trip, distinguish the museum opening from completion of the whole site.

What opens in 2026 and what waits until 2028

The announced General Market route links Real Time at the Heritage Fund Street entrance, Our Time in Linbury Hall and the underground Past Time galleries. Poultry Market is a later phase: do not plan to see a temporary exhibition in that building in November 2026. These are the museum’s stated plans, so recheck dates before travel.

What makes the visit distinctive

Planned displays include the Cheapside Hoard, Whitechapel Fatberg and Lord Mayor’s Coach. A six-metre viewing window onto passing Thameslink trains is another unusual feature. The inaugural London Tastes programme, co-curated by Ruby Tandoh and Jonathan Nunn, examines the city’s food culture. Free admission to the permanent galleries does not establish that every individual event is free.

Plan the visit

Use London EC1A 9AG for the museum. The museum identifies Farringdon Thameslink and Elizabeth line stations as the nearest rail options, a few minutes away. Before setting off, check the official Smithfield page for opening hours, access details and booking terms for any specific event; the announced opening date is not a day-specific visitor instruction.

Smithfield or Docklands?

Before 28 November 2026, the museum directs current visitors to London Museum Docklands. After the planned opening, Smithfield is the choice for the new city-history route in the General Market; Docklands is a separate site, not the former name of the same building. Confirm the location before arranging transport or events.

What the photograph shows

The photograph shows a historic Smithfield Market building from Long Lane in July 2026, before the announced opening. It documents the neighbourhood, not the completed museum interior or future exhibitions.

Sources & verification · Photography

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September 30, 2026

Photography

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