The world’s first Museum of Homelessness — set up and run by people with first-hand experience

Founded in 2014 by Jessica and Matt Turtle, the organisation has been supported by Paul Hamlyn Foundation since 2016, initially through the Ideas and Pioneers Fund. Their concept – to support people who have experienced homelessness to actively engage and become museum makers – was originally based on a research project supported by the Kings College London, which looked at how to combine therapeutic support for homeless people alongside museum and heritage practice.

Ideas and Pioneers funding allowed Jessica and Matt to build on this initial scoping work and develop their vision of what MoH could be. They worked closely with homelessness charity Groundswell, supported by consultant psychotherapist Dr Christopher Scanlon, on a prototyping phase. This allowed them time and freedom to design and test potential learning programmes, develop themes for creative programming, and explore safer therapeutic practice. At the outset, Jessica and Matt imagined a museum ​‘school’, where volunteers with experience of homelessness (members) would learn and apply museum skills in the course of their journey out of homelessness. Part of this would include the development of a collection of objects and archives to represent their stories and lived experience of homelessness. 

Through direct work with participants MoH were able to build a strong evidence base, enabling them to develop and refine the programmes and activities available. It was recognised that participants will always be at different stages of the journey out of homelessness, so the work of MoH aims to bring about a sense of belonging and build a community of peer support. To do this, MoH committed to creating spaces and content with people who have been homeless, rather than about people who have been homeless, focusing on the wider social, political and economic factors that contribute to homelessness in all its complexities, rather than showcasing individual narratives and images. 

Following the completion of the initial prototyping phase, MoH were awarded an Explore and Test grant through the Arts Access and Participation Fund, reflecting their focus on homelessness in the context of arts access and participation. As part of this funding, Jessica and Matt have worked with partners across the UK to deliver creative projects and collaborate across a range of exhibitions.

During the Covid lockdown restrictions, MoH’s work became even more vital. A successful and high-profile campaign with Streets Kitchen called for safe spaces for homeless communities to be able to self-isolate. During this period a strategic relationship with Haringey Local Authority was developed, with MoH subsequently acquiring a ten-year lease to a building in the People’s Park, Finsbury Park, London. The first permanent home for the Museum of Homelessness opened in May 2024 as an open creative community asset and base for MoH’s operations, creating ​‘a space for healing, justice and creativity’.