Olly Gibbs

Young people have reinvented the Roman London gallery. Through films, sculpture, audio-visual displays and objects from 21st century life, discover how Roman London still lives on in today’s modern capital.

Opening for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Our Londinium 2012 is the largest update to the Museum’s Roman gallery since it opened in 1994 and explores the parallels between Roman London and today’s modern capital.

The updates range from video installations to rarely-seen Roman artefacts, including a bust of Hadrian which was found on the Thames foreshore and is now in the British Museum’s collection. The bust will be on display at the Museum of London until January 2013.

In addition, modern objects highlight the similarities and differences between Roman Londinium and 21st century London. These include decorative nails from Dalston nail bar WAH Nails which show how modern day and Roman Londoners express identity through fashion, while V for Vendetta masks worn by protesters in the Occupy movement and protest placards from the recent ‘March for the Alternative’ examine issues of power and authority, past and present.

The young people curating the exhibition are part of Junction, the Museum of London’s youth panel. Members of Junction worked closely with Museum of London staff to choose objects, write text panels and even appoint Olly Gibbs, the illustrator responsible for the exhibition’s visual identity. Other young people from a number of partner organisations across London have created artistic content for the exhibition.