Together we’ll make art and joy!

Join us every fortnight for free art sessions for people living with dementia and their carers- explore the Croydon Art Collection, create and experience joy together.

How do you book a place?

Use our 'Sign Up' form to be placed on our email list. Staff will be in touch via email to invite you to upcoming sessions.

All bookings will be taken via the email address: museum@croydon.gov.uk

Learn more about the Dementia, Art and Joy programme here.

Drop in to our relaxed portrait drawing sessions. Limited materials provided, so please bring your own. Due to being in an art gallery, please note that paints or sprayed materials cannot be used.

We will take turns to sit for 10-15 minutes. All styles, ages, and levels welcome.

Part of the Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces events series. Happening every other Saturday.

Taking place in the Museum of Croydon’s Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 1, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET.

Plan your visit here.

Join us every month in the Clocktower Café for a relaxed, friendly discussion on an art-related book as part of our Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces Exhibition.

For our next session, we will be reading Susan Sontag’s Against Interpretation and other Essays. We will be focussing mainly on her essay, Against Interpretation, but you are welcome to read the other essays too if you are able. You can find a free PDF of the essay to read here.

Join the Whatsapp Community or simply turn up.

About the book:

Against Interpretation was Susan Sontag's first collection of essays and is a modern classic. Originally published in 1966, it has never gone out of print and has influenced generations of readers all over the world. It includes some of Sontag's best-known works, among them 'On Style', 'Notes on 'Camp'', and the titular essay 'Against Interpretation', where Sontag argues that modern cultural conditions have given way to a new critical approach to aesthetics.

Will Noble - Londonist editor, and author of the book Croydonopolis: A Journey to the Greatest City That Never Was - explains how, for an all-too brief moment in time, Croydon was, in many ways, the centre of the universe.  

"Whatever else it has done, Croydon Airport has certainly put Croydon on the map of Europe. Many foreigners instinctively think of Croydon when they hear the word England mentioned." - The Croydon Advertiser, 1938

In the 1920s and 30s, Croydon Airport was at the heart of a halcyon age of air travel. Imperial Airways would whisk you from Croydon to almost anywhere in the Empire. Hollywood stars, royalty and politicians poured in and out. French aristocrats flew to Croydon to get their suits tailored at Grants department store. World records were set and broken here. Those not wealthy enough to fly used the airport as a holiday resort, staying at the Aerodrome Hotel and plane-spotting from the viewing platforms. Croydon was uttered in the same breath as Paris, Cape Town and Brisbane.

Access to the ‘Forge: Industries of Croydon’ exhibition from 18:30. The talk starts at 19:00 with a Q&A session following.

General Admission: £5 (including light refreshments)
Please note this event is 18+.

Book via Eventbrite here.

Location

The talk will take place in the Braithwaite Hall, Level 1 with access to the Forge: Industries of Croydon exhibition from 6:30 at the Museum of Croydon, Level 1. Both located within the Croydon Clocktower.

Access

The Clocktower is completely wheelchair accessible.

Please email us beforehand to enquire about access requirements so we may make your visit as comfortable as possible: museum@croydon.gov.uk

Learn more: museumofcroydon.com/visit

Join us after hours for a relaxed and inclusive introduction to bobbin lace making from the Croydon Lacemakers. Each month will cover a new, beginner-friendly technique so you can come for all the workshops or just one!

Taking place every second Wednesday of the month until September.

Tickets £10 (individual) or £15 (for two) including light refreshments. Booking required.

Book your tickets here.

Drop in to our relaxed portrait drawing sessions. Limited materials provided, so please bring your own. Due to being in an art gallery, please note that paints or sprayed materials cannot be used.

We will take turns to sit for 10-15 minutes. All styles, ages, and levels welcome.

Part of the Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces events series. Happening every other Saturday.

Taking place in the Museum of Croydon’s Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 1, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET.

Plan your visit here.

Drop in to our relaxed portrait drawing sessions. Limited materials provided, so please bring your own. Due to being in an art gallery, please note that paints or sprayed materials cannot be used.

We will take turns to sit for 10-15 minutes. All styles, ages, and levels welcome.

Part of the Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces events series. Happening every other Saturday.

Taking place in the Museum of Croydon’s Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 1, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET.

Plan your visit here.

The Museum of Croydon and the David Lean Cinema are delighted to present Made In Dagenham as part of the Museum’s ‘Forge: Industries of Croydon’ event series. The Museum will be open late from 6:30 until 7:30pm to allow visitors to explore the exhibition after hours before the film.

Made In Dagenham

Genre: Drama

UK | 2010 | 108 mins

Director: Nigel Cole

Stars: Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson

The engaging real life story of the uprising of the 187 women machinists at the Ford auto factory in Dagenham in 1968. Initially reluctant, Rita O'Grady leads a strike by her fellow machinists to gain equal rights and pay with the 55,000 male workers at the factory, taking a major historic step towards equal pay for women. The use of archival footage, sixties music and costume makes for a fine recreation of the times and strong performances and direction bring the film to an emotional climax. 

Book your tickets via the David Lean Website.

Join art criticism duo Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina Muhammad (aka The White Pube) as they discuss their book Poor Artists.

At a moment in which working as a professional artist is an increasingly unattainable luxury, Poor Artists investigates why so many artists try anyway.

Poor Artists follows aspiring artist Quest Talukdar as she embarks on a surreal journey into the creative industry, where she must decide whether she cares more about success or staying true to herself. Featuring dialogue from anonymous interviews with real people who have all had to ask themselves the same question – including a Turner Prize winner or two, a recluse, a Venice Biennale fraudster, a communist messiah, a ghost, and a literal knight – The White Pube tell the story of art like never before.

Access to the Museum's 'Matching Masterpieces' exhibition starts from 18:30. The talk starts at 19:00 with a Q&A session following.

The talk is free but booking is required. Get a free ticket via Eventbrite.

Location

The talk will take place in the Central Library in the Croydon Clocktower with access to the Museum’s Croydon Art Collection exhibition from 6:30pm on Level 1.

Access

The Clocktower is completely wheelchair accessible.

Please email us beforehand to enquire about access requirements so we may make your visit as comfortable as possible: museum@croydon.gov.uk

Learn more: museumofcroydon.com/visit

You may also be interested in our Art Book Club, a relaxed, friendly discussion on an art-related book as part of our Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces Exhibition. Our first session will be taking place on the 18th April discussing Poor Artists by the White Pube. Learn more here.

The Museum of Croydon and the David Lean Cinema are delighted to present Made In Dagenham as part of the Museum’s ‘Forge: Industries of Croydon’ event series.

Made In Dagenham

Genre: Drama

UK | 2010 | 108 mins

Director: Nigel Cole

Stars: Sally Hawkins, Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson

The engaging real life story of the uprising of the 187 women machinists at the Ford auto factory in Dagenham in 1968. Initially reluctant, Rita O'Grady leads a strike by her fellow machinists to gain equal rights and pay with the 55,000 male workers at the factory, taking a major historic step towards equal pay for women. The use of archival footage, sixties music and costume makes for a fine recreation of the times and strong performances and direction bring the film to an emotional climax. 

Book your tickets via the David Lean Website.

Join us every month in the Clocktower Café for a relaxed, friendly discussion on an art-related book as part of our Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces Exhibition.

For our very first session, we will be discussing Poor Artists by Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina Muhammad, who also make up the White Pube blog and podcast.

This book is also available to loan as an ebook and an audiobook from Croydon Libraries.

Join the Whatsapp Community or simply turn up.

About the book:

At a moment in which working as a professional artist is an increasingly unattainable luxury, art criticism duo The White Pube investigate why so many artists try anyway. Labelled “the Diet Prada of the art world” by British Vogue, in Poor Artists writers Gabrielle de la Puente and Zarina Muhammad ridicule a contemporary art world that has turned art into artworks, art schools into art universities, and creative expression into cut-throat competition.

Poor Artists follows aspiring artist Quest Talukdar as she embarks on a surreal journey into the creative industry, where she must decide whether she cares more about success or staying true to herself. Featuring dialogue from anonymous interviews with real people who have all had to ask themselves the same question – including a Turner Prize winner or two, a recluse, a Venice Biennale fraudster, a communist messiah, a ghost, and a literal knight – The White Pube tell the story of art like never before.

You may also be interested in our upcoming talk with the authors themselves on the 23rd of April in celebration of World Book Night. Learn more here.

Drop in to our relaxed portrait drawing sessions. Limited materials provided, so please bring your own. Due to being in an art gallery, please note that paints or sprayed materials cannot be used.

We will take turns to sit for 10-15 minutes. All styles, ages, and levels welcome.

Part of the Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces events series. Happening every other Saturday.

Taking place in the Museum of Croydon’s Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 1, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET.

Plan your visit here.

This Easter, join us for a creative workshop with a difference, combining crafting and poetry in a tribute to one of the most famous horses in art history – Whistlejacket!

Together, we will make our own cardboard horse masks and decorate them using a range of recycled materials. Then, drop in to a poetry session led by Beth Richards (Page of Wands) to create a poem about your horse, or about something you love as much as George Stubbs loves horses!

The enormous 3 metre-wide painting, Whistlejacket by George Stubbs, features the majestic chestnut stallion and former racehouse in a powerful and majestic pose. It’s considered to be one of the most important artworks of the eighteenth century.

See a true-to-life reproduction of the painting at Park Hill Park in Croydon, on display until 5 July 2026 as part of The National Gallery Art On Your Doorstep and join us for this relaxed and hands-on creative workshop this April.

When: Friday 10 April | 1pm – 2pm or 2pm – 3pm.
Where: Level 1, Museum of Croydon, Croydon Clocktower
Important information: These workshops are free, but spaces are limited so please book a time slot in advance. We recommend for ages 5+.

Book your place via Eventbrite here.

Make a colourful paper plate bubble car or a tissue paper stained glass in this family-friendly drop-in craft session inspired by the Museum of Croydon collections.

Taking place in the Croydon Clocktower atrium in collaboration with Central Library.

Free entry. No booking required. Ages 5+.

Join us after hours for a relaxed and inclusive introduction to bobbin lace making from the Croydon Lacemakers. Each month will cover a new, beginner-friendly technique so you can come for all the workshops or just one!

Taking place every second Wednesday of the month until September.

Tickets £10 (individual) or £15 (for two) including light refreshments. Booking required.

Book your tickets here.

Make a colourful 2D paper lantern in this drop-in craft session inspired by the Croydon Art Collection.

Taking place in the Croydon Clocktower Atrium in collaboration with the Central Library.

Free entry. No booking required. We suggest ages 8+, but if you think an activity is suitable, you are welcome to bring younger children.

Make a colourful 2D paper lantern in this drop-in craft session inspired by the Croydon Art Collection.

Taking place in the Croydon Clocktower atrium in collaboration with Central Library.

Free entry. No booking required. We suggest ages 8+, but if you think an activity is suitable, you are welcome to bring younger children.

Make your very own paper pop-up art gallery in this drop-in craft session inspired by the Croydon Art Collection.

Taking place in the Croydon Clocktower atrium in collaboration with Croydon Central Library.

Free entry. No booking required. Ages 5+.

Drop in to our relaxed portrait drawing sessions. Limited materials provided, so please bring your own. Due to being in an art gallery, please note that paints or sprayed materials cannot be used.

We will take turns to sit for 10-15 minutes. All styles, ages, and levels welcome.

Part of the Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces events series. Happening every other Saturday.

Taking place in the Museum of Croydon’s Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 1, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET.

Plan your visit here.

The Museum of Croydon and the David Lean Cinema are delighted to present ‘In Fabric’ as part of the Museum’s ‘Forge: Industries of Croydon’ event series. The Museum will be open late from 6:30 until 7:30pm to allow visitors to explore the exhibition after hours before the film.

In Fabric

Genre: Comedy | Horror

2018 | UK | 118 mins | Rated 15

Director: Peter Strickland

Stars: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill

Following on from The Duke of Burgundy, Peter Strickland gives us another essay in the sensual and the macabre. Set around a very unique department store (filmed in Croydon's Allders), various characters try to measure up to a spectacular red dress that they sell. With some wonderfully absurdist dialogue and a cast of characters from the ordinary to the completely bizarre, this is a delight for connoisseurs of the unusual, and cements Strickland's reputation as the British master of the odd and creepily unusual.

Book your tickets via the David Lean Website: https://tinyurl.com/yndunxfc

The Museum of Croydon and the David Lean Cinema are delighted to present ‘In Fabric’ as part of the Museum’s ‘Forge: Industries of Croydon’ event series.

In Fabric

Genre: Comedy | Horror

2018 | UK | 118 mins | Rated 15

Director: Peter Strickland

Stars: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill

Following on from The Duke of Burgundy, Peter Strickland gives us another essay in the sensual and the macabre. Set around a very unique department store (filmed in Croydon's Allders), various characters try to measure up to a spectacular red dress that they sell. With some wonderfully absurdist dialogue and a cast of characters from the ordinary to the completely bizarre, this is a delight for connoisseurs of the unusual, and cements Strickland's reputation as the British master of the odd and creepily unusual.

Book your tickets via the David Lean Website: https://tinyurl.com/yndunxfc

Drop in to our relaxed portrait drawing sessions. Limited materials provided, so please bring your own. Due to being in an art gallery, please note that paints or sprayed materials cannot be used.

We will take turns to sit for 10-15 minutes. All styles, ages, and levels welcome.

Part of the Croydon Art Collection: Matching Masterpieces events series. Happening every other Saturday.

Taking place in the Museum of Croydon’s Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 1, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET.

Plan your visit here.

Join us for an evening with local historian Lindsay Ould to learn about the important roles of women in Croydon’s industries.

Access to the ‘Forge: Industries of Croydon’ exhibition from 18:30. The talk starts at 19:00 with a Q&A session following.  

General Admission: £5 (including a drink)
Please note this event is 18+.

Book via Eventbrite here

Join us after hours for a relaxed and inclusive introduction to bobbin lace making from the Croydon Lacemakers. Each month will cover a new, beginner-friendly technique so you can come for all the workshops or just one!

Taking place every second Wednesday of the month until September.

Tickets £10 (individual) or £15 (for two) including light refreshments. Booking required.

Book your tickets here.

Come and build a Meccano model inspired by the Forge exhibition and Croydon’s industrial past! Leave your creations with us, and take home a certificate.

Part of the Forge: Industries of Croydon event series. In partnership with South East London Meccano Club (SELMEC).

Free. No booking required. We suggest ages 8+ based on Meccano’s reccomendation, but if you think an activity is suitable, you are welcome to bring younger children.

Located in the Croydon Clocktower Atrium, CR9 1ET.

Join artist Samia Tossio for a free family-friendly silk painting workshop themed around FORGE: Industries of Croydon. All materials and templates will be provided. Workshops start promptly at displayed time.

Booking advised via Eventbrite.

Join artist Samia Tossio for a free family-friendly silk painting workshop themed around FORGE: Industries of Croydon. All materials and templates will be provided. Workshops start promptly at displayed time.

Booking advised via Eventbrite.

Join artist Francisca Sosa López to create their own all-enveloping space by making a wallpaper design while listening to the sounds of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

Where: Museum of Croydon, Level 1 Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, CR9 1ET
Important information: Free entry. Ages 5+. Booking advised via Eventbrite.

Join an afternoon of craft, community making and poetry inspired by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

Make friends and collages with local artist Samia Tossio using vintage materials relating to Croydon's musical heritage.

Free. Ages 5+. Booking advised.

Book via Eventbrite here.

Join artist Samia Tossio for a free family-friendly silk painting workshop themed around FORGE: Industries of Croydon. All materials and templates will be provided. Workshops start promptly at displayed time.

Booking advised via Eventbrite.