Young People
Get involved in the Museum of Croydon and Croydon Archives
Croydon Archives and the Museum of Croydon have been developing new ways for young people to get involved in our work and collections.
Croydon is a young borough, with the largest population of under-18s in London! We want to make sure the Museum of Croydon and Croydon Archives represents the diverse experiences of young people, foregrounds their voices, and feels accessible to young people of all ages and backgrounds.
Below you can read about our youth projects, upcoming events, opportunities for young people, ways you can contribute your ideas, and advice on starting your career in the museums, archives and heritage sector.
Croydon, Youth & Archives on film
When: Saturday 31st May, 2:00PM – 4:30PM.
Where: David Lean Cinema, Croydon Clocktower, 9 Katharine Street, Croydon, CR9 1ET.
Free, booking essential.
The building is wheelchair accessible.
Join us at the David Lean Cinema for a free screening of films exploring Croydon, youth and archives.
Between November 2024 and January 2025, Croydon’s Young Archivists took part in a series of filmmaking workshops with Turab Shah and Arwa Aburawa from Other Cinemas. The result was ten unique short films about Croydon made by local 14-18 year olds - combining Croydon Archives’ collections, their own personal archives and footage they shot themselves.
Including fiction, documentary, autobiography, poetry, animation and political commentary, the films create new narratives from our collections that centre young people’s voices and experiences of Croydon.
The Young Archivists films will be followed by screenings of A conversation with local artists from Croydon, the outcome of a creative research project developed by Ruth Mbu during her placement as a Young Producer at Croydon Archives, and this one goes out to The Dance by local artist Natalie Mitchell.
After the screening there will be a creative workshop with local poet and artist Phoebe Wagner, exploring conversation, memory and archives as a tool for writing poetry. All are welcome and no prior poetry experience required!
The afternoon will be a community space for exploring how film and archives can hold stories, inspire intergenerational conversations, and empower young people’s experiences of place & time. Free popcorn provided!
Archives Can Be Anything!
Venue: Museum of Croydon Exhibition Gallery & Clocktower Atrium
Address: Ground floor, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, Croydon, CR9 1ET
Dates: 26th February - 10th May 2025
Opening times: Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 11AM-4PM
Free and open to all!
Archives Can Be Anything! is an exhibition of creative projects made by Croydon Archives’ Young Archivists, in response to our archives and local history collections.
You can expect artworks, zines, films, poetry and more – co-created by ten local 14-18 year-olds to share their perspectives on Croydon, heritage and underrepresented histories.
Instead of providing a historical account of Croydon, this exhibition draws together different time periods and subject matter to share the Young Archivists’ understandings of the place they call home. Archives Can Be Anything! is an overview of Croydon through the eyes of its youth.
Stay tuned for updates about workshops and events happening alongside the exhibition in April-May 2025!
Upcoming events and opportunities for young people
Check here for updates on events and opportunities for young people at the Museum of Croydon and Croydon Archives!
Young Archivists
Young Archivists is a paid, co-designed programme for 14-18 year olds, exploring the diverse experiences of young people and underrepresented histories in Croydon. Running from March 2024 - May 2025, ten ‘Young Archivists’ have joined us in Croydon Archives, meeting twice a month to learn about archives, heritage, culture, local history and Croydon - and reinterpret our collections through their perspectives.
Young Archivists is part of our Digitally Transforming Croydon Archives: London Borough of Culture Legacy Project, which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Dynamic Collections campaign.
Read about what the Young Archivists got up to in the first six months of the programme here.
Volunteering
You can volunteer at the Museum of Croydon or Croydon Archives. Check out this page on our website for opportunities to get involved in:
Front of House and Research Room
Exhibitions and Public Engagement
Collections Care
As a volunteer you will meet new people, build confidence, gain skills, and connect with the history of Croydon.
Careers in museums and archives
Are you interested in helping people understand and learn more about the past?
Are you passionate about making the historic record representative, inclusive and diverse?
Do you want to protect history for future generations, and use collections to engage people in current issues?
Then working in a museum or archive may be for you!
Click here to find out more about the careers available in museums and archives, and the routes you can take into them.
Useful links for young people interested in museums and archives
Kids in Museums Youth Group Directory, for opportunities to join museum and archives youth programmes
Discover! Creative Careers, for events, resources and insights into the creative industries
Croydon Music and Arts, for opportunities for young people in Croydon
Archives and Records Association (ARA) Careers, for access to industry news, professional development courses and networking
The National Archives, for seeking work experience and placement opportunities
Explore Your Archive, for an introduction to archives and professional resources
Black Cultural Archives, for events, workshops, youth activities and information on pathways into archives
ARCHIVES-NRA Jisc Mail - sign up for regular updates on job and volunteering postings, events and talks, training opportunities, and advice from professionals in the sector
University of Leicester Museum Studies Jobs Desk, for job and volunteering postings in archives, museums and the heritage sector
Arts Jobs (run by Arts Council England), for job and volunteering postings in archives, museums and the heritage sector
Young people are always welcome to visit our exhibitions or research room, where you can discover Croydon’s history! Click here to find out more about our archives and local history collections, or here to see what’s on at the Museum of Croydon.